


The Midnight Hour

by navywife97



Category: The Rookie (TV 2018)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama & Romance, F/M, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Mystery, Sex, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:21:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25924300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/navywife97/pseuds/navywife97
Summary: Officer Lucy Chen's worst nightmare comes true when the man who haunts her nightmares is actually alive and comes back to kidnap her. When Lucy disappears, the team is in disbelief as the clues point to someone they all thought was dead...but Caleb Wright is very much alive. The stage is set for the ultimate, final battle between Lucy and her nemesis. Someone will live...and someone will die.
Relationships: Tim Bradford/Lucy Chen
Comments: 74
Kudos: 66





	1. Heartbreak

**Author's Note:**

> This piece was inspired by my good writing buddy PMD, in a comment she made on one of my other stories.

Tim was jogging down the hallway of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He’d just gotten word that Lucy had been brought in about an hour ago from injuries she sustained on a call. She and her partner, Officer Grayson Wells, had answered a domestic assault call. The call had gone south and both Lucy and Grayson had been injured in a fight with the suspects. Lucy apparently had been more seriously injured in the fight...and that was all Tim knew. 

He stopped when he saw both Grayson and Grayson’s girlfriend, Detective Julianna “Jules” Mancinni standing out in the hallway just outside Lucy’s room. Tim’s heart plummeted as he reached Grayson. Grayson had a black eye and a busted lip and one of his hands was wrapped in gauze. Tim stopped when he reached them, panting heavily. He’d run all the way from the parking garage. “What the hell happened Wells?” Grayson shook his head. “It was a domestic, and it got out of hand. College kid didn’t like the fact that we were arresting his daddy. The kid plays football...I was dragging the father outside when the kid went after Lucy. He went after her hard. The fight was pretty vicious.” Tim closed his eyes, struggling to hold onto his patience. “Ok...you can give me the details later. But she was injured badly enough to be admitted?” Grayson put his hands on his hips and looked at the floor...this next part was going to be hard. But he decided he’d be the one to drop the bomb on Tim that had just been dropped on Lucy...because Lucy had admitted to Grayson that she hadn’t yet told Tim about her nightmares coming back, or her Caleb hallucinations. Grayson had a major problem with that, and told Lucy if she didn’t tell Tim soon, he would. But this...this was different; Tim had a right to know. 

Tim narrowed his eyes at Grayson. Clearly there was something else going on. “Wells!” Tim barked out his name, snapping Grayson out of his thoughts. “Bradford...shit.” Grayson closed his eyes, and Tim’s heart dropped. Grayson looked at him then, and took a deep breath; and then dropped the bomb. “When they brought Lucy in, she was in severe pain...she’d been kicked several times in the stomach.” Grayson hesitated, and looked at Tim. Julianna stepped next to Grayson and grasped his hand. “Tell him, Gray.” Tim scowled at both of them. “One of you better tell me right now!” Grayson sighed deeply. “Tim...Lucy miscarried. I’m really sorry, man.” Grayson watched Tim, gauging his reaction...it was one of shock, disbelief, and anger. Shit. 

Tim’s eyes about popped out of his head. He glanced between Julianna and Grayson. “She WHAT?” Tim started to shove past Grayson, and barge into the room, but Grayson stopped him. “Simmer down...she’s upset enough as it is.” Tim glared at him. “Back off, Wells. You think you can keep me out of that room? My girlfriend is in there!” Tim started to push past him, but Grayson shoved him back, glaring right back at Tim. “Yeah, I get that...but she’s MY partner. And she’s been through hell tonight. And you’re not going in there until you calm the hell down.” Tim’s nostrils flared...but he stepped back. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. “Damnit, she didn’t even tell me she was pregnant.” He was suddenly in Grayson’s face again. “How long have you known?” Grayson stared at him. “A couple of days…” Tim cut him off. “A couple of days? Seriously? So she could tell you and not me?” Tim was struggling to control his rage as Grayson glared at him. “She was going to tell you. That’s why she was late to work a couple of days ago...she went to the doctor to get it confirmed; that’s also why she asked off for work tomorrow. She had this whole dinner planned; she wanted it to be a surprise. She told me when she thought she was pregnant, because I confronted her on it. We were taking much more frequent bathroom breaks during shift and she was sick to her stomach suddenly all the time. But she didn’t want me to say anything until she found out for sure.” Grayson was glaring at Tim as Julianna stepped towards Tim. She glanced at Grayson. “Go check on her.” Grayson nodded and went into Lucy’s room and shut the door. Julianna looked at Tim. “She really was going to tell you tomorrow night Bradford. I helped her plan the dinner.” Tim looked at Julianna then...and caught the heartbroken expression on her face. “Jules...were you...have you lost…” He let the question hang in the air. Julianna sadly nodded. “A week after Eddie was killed, I found out I was pregnant. I lost our baby in the second trimester.” Julianna had been engaged to a fellow detective, Detective Eddie Riley, who worked in homicide. He was murdered by two of his fellow cops who were dirty, after he discovered they were running drugs. Julianna had solved his murder, and had taken those bastards down. But the stress of what had happened cost her the most precious thing she had left of Eddie...their baby. 

Tim looked at her sympathetically. “I’m so sorry Jules...I had no idea.” Julianna nodded. “It’s ok...I didn’t tell many people.” She glanced towards the door leading to Lucy’s hospital room. “Be easy with her Bradford..she’s devastated.” Tim just nodded, and took some deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. Grayson was right...Lucy didn’t need his shit right now. He slowly opened the door and walked in, and the sight before him broke his heart. Lucy was curled on her side, away from the door, staring at the wall. Grayson was sitting beside her, holding her hand. Grayson glanced at Tim and then back at Lucy. “Hey...look who’s here.” His gentle voice made Lucy turn her head and she saw Tim. Her face crumpled and the tears came flooding out. She turned her face back towards the wall. She felt so guilty...for so many things. Grayson stood up as Tim went to Lucy. He whispered to Tim. “We’ll stick around for a while if you two need anything.” Tim nodded as Grayson left the room and shut the door. 

Tim approached the bed and took Lucy’s hand. “Luce…I’m here.” He got no response. Tim sighed as he climbed into the hospital bed with Lucy and pulled her into his arms. Lucy turned towards him and sobbed into his chest. Tim wasn’t sure how he felt about the whole situation. He and Lucy hadn’t really talked about kids yet. They still weren’t living together, and he hadn’t proposed yet...though he had the whole thing planned and set up now. He was waiting for their next day off together. But the more he thought about it, the sadder he got. And before long, he was crying with Lucy...and they both wept for the little life they had created, that had been snuffed out before it had had a chance to really begin. 

Lucy looked up at him. He smiled down at her tearstained face, and gently brushed her hair out of her eyes. He kissed her gently. “It’s ok, Boot...I’m here. I’m not going anywhere until you’re released.” Lucy shuddered. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you. I was going to tell you, tomorrow night. I had everything planned.” He felt her sobs coming again, and squeezed her tightly. She held onto him for dear life. Their baby wasn’t the only thing she had planned to tell him tomorrow night. But all the other things she’d planned to tell him drifted away as she cried herself to sleep in Tim’s arms. As Tim felt Lucy drift off, he began to wonder about what might have been, and a tear rolled down his cheek. 

It was midnight when Tim and Lucy walked into his house. She’d finally been discharged from the hospital, and Tim had taken her straight to his house. Lucy hadn’t said a word the entire ride back to Tim’s house. She flopped down on the couch as Tim looked at her. “Want some tea?” Lucy shrugged her shoulders, and looked away. Tim nodded and went into the kitchen to make Lucy some tea. He poured some water into a tea kettle and set it on the stove. He turned the stove on to heat the water...and that’s when he heard Lucy. He turned around to see Lucy sobbing on the couch. He rushed to her and sat on the couch and pulled her into his arms. Lucy burrowed into his chest and Tim felt her tears soak the front of his uniform shirt. He kissed her forehead gently as he rubbed her up and down on her back. “It’s ok, Boot, I’ve got you.” He heard the tea kettle begin to whistle and disentangled himself from Lucy’s arms. He quickly strode into the kitchen, and turned the stove off. He got out a mug, and opened the pantry to get some teabags. He got two tea bags out and put them in the mug and then poured the hot water into the mug. He carried the mug back to Lucy, and set it on the coffee table in front of her. He frowned at her...Lucy was staring at the wall, completely zoning out. “Luce…” Lucy glanced at him and then looked away. Tim sighed. “I’m going to get out of these clothes. I’ll be right back, ok?” Lucy numbly nodded as Tim hurried into his bedroom. He quickly stripped, and threw on a tee shirt and boxers, and hurried back out to the living room. Lucy hadn’t touched her tea, and had already dozed off. He sighed as he picked up a blanket he kept on the couch and draped it over her. Then he sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms. As he did so, he saw something on the coffee table that hadn’t been there before. Curious, he picked it up, and stared at it and felt another tear roll down his cheek. It was a picture of Lucy’s first ultrasound...a picture of their baby. And it was the only picture of their baby they would ever have. He wondered if it would have been a boy or a girl, and if he or she would have looked like him or Lucy. He put the picture back on the coffee table and sighed. He propped his feet up on the coffee table and drifted off to sleep with Lucy in his arms.


	2. Nightmares Do Come True

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim tries to help fix things for Lucy...but only succeeds in alienating and hurting her. Tim and Lucy make up, and Lucy is determined not to let their loss overshadow their happiness for Angela and Wesley and their adorable baby boy, Timothy. Grayson pushes Lucy to tell Tim what's happening to her...but she steadfastly refuses, trying to spare Tim's feelings. Grayson and Lucy go out for drinks as partners. And Lucy's worst nightmare comes true.

Tim had called Angela the next morning, and told her what had happened, and she had rushed right over. Lucy however was furious; she wasn’t ready for anyone to know yet. She shook her head at Tim. “I can’t believe you did this!” Tim walked up to her, but she backed away. She sadly looked at him and shook her head. She looked at Angela, and willed back the tears. “Thanks for coming over Angela...but I really don’t want to talk about this.” Lucy stormed into Tim’s bedroom and slammed the door. Tim sighed and closed his eyes and looked helplessly at Angela. “I have no idea what to do here, or how to fix this, Ang.” Angela nodded, and went to Tim and hugged him, before pulling back to look at him. “That’s your first problem. You can’t fix this, Tim. Lucy has every right to be angry and hurt and scared and devastated...and so do you. Lucy at least got to experience the joy and surprise of finding out that you two were going to have a baby. You unfortunately didn’t get that part until it was too late. But whatever you do here, don’t try and make her plow through it. She needs to recover at her own pace, ok?” Tim nodded, and glared at the closed bedroom door, before looking back at Angela. “She told Wells...she told him before she told me.” Angela sighed. “You know why she did that Tim?” Tim shook his head. Angela nodded. “I didn’t think so. She told him because they had answered a drunk and disorderly call...Nyla and I backed them up. That was the day I was supposed to ride with you, but you had to go help your dad with something. Anyway, Lucy puked all over the place...like she couldn’t stop. And apparently, she’d been doing that most of the shift. Wells wanted to take her to the ER but she refused. He confronted her on why, and she admitted it to him. That’s the only reason he found out before you did.” Tim supposed he could live with that, but he had a troubled look on his face. “It’s not just that Angela...she’s hiding something. She and I haven’t spent many nights together lately...she’s always got some excuse. And she’s so on edge now and jumpy, all of the time. I’ve asked her so many times what the hell is going on, but she won’t tell me.” Angela frowned at that. “Well, that’s not cool. And yeah, I’ve noticed how jumpy she is...we all have. You definitely need to get to the bottom of that.” Tim nodded as Angela hugged him again. Angela turned to leave. “You two need to be alone, and she obviously isn’t ready to talk about this yet. Call me if you need me.” Angela walked out as Tim sighed and closed his front door. Then he looked at his bedroom door. He had to find out what the hell was going on with Lucy.

Lucy didn’t come out of Tim’s bedroom until dinner time, and Tim had decided to leave her alone. He was still hurt that Lucy hadn’t told him she was pregnant until it was too late. Plus, after the Angela fiasco, he figured she’d rather he not bother her anyway. Tim was outside on his back deck, sipping a beer, grilling the petite filets he’d found in the fridge. He guessed that and the other things he’d found, new potatoes, and baby peas, had been the dinner Lucy was going to cook for him to tell him about the baby. Well, no sense in letting good food go to waste. Lucy came outside on the deck and walked up to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his back. “I’m sorry.” Tim simply nodded, but didn’t turn around. Lucy sighed as she went back inside. She went into the kitchen to get a glass of wine and saw the rest of the meal on the counter...and the tears came before she could stop them. She placed a hand on her stomach and rubbed it, the loss of what had briefly been there breaking her heart. She quickly dried up her tears as she turned and saw Tim come into the kitchen carrying a plate with the perfectly grilled petite filets. He set the plate down on the counter and walked towards Lucy. He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. “Hey…I love you. I really, really hope you know that.” Lucy looked up at him and saw the worry and concern in his eyes. She sadly smiled at him. “I do know that, Tim. And I’m sorry about before...my emotions are just all over the place I guess.” He nodded, and leaned in to kiss her again. His mouth was a breath away from hers as he whispered a plea. “Luce...please don’t go home tonight. Please stay. I don’t know what I did to make you not want to be here with me, and I’m sorry for whatever it is, I’ll make it up to you, I promise. Just please don’t go home.” Lucy felt the guilt punch her chest so hard she gasped. It was way past time she told Tim...but she was so scared to tell him. It had been so hard for him to put down the guilt he felt over her kidnapping, but he was much better with it now, and she didn’t want the guilt to start suffocating him again. So she smothered down the impulse to tell him. Lucy sighed against Tim’s mouth. “Ok...I’ll stay.” Tim felt the relief swim through him, and kissed her again deeply. He pulled her into his arms, and held her close. “Are you hungry? I cooked the food because I’m starving, but we can eat later if you want.” Lucy sighed. “No...let’s eat now. I am actually pretty hungry.” Tim nodded. “Ok...you want to eat outside on the deck?” Tim didn’t miss the panicked look that came over Lucy’s face, but she quickly hid it. “No...ah...let’s eat inside. I’m feeling cozy tonight.” It was a pathetic excuse, even to Lucy’s ears, but Tim let it go...for now. He nodded and took her hand, leading her to his small kitchen table. “Ok...you sit here, and I’ll serve it up.” Lucy laughed at him. “You’re spoiling me again.” Tim grinned at her. “Yeah, well, I can do that, if I want. And I think right now, you need it.” Lucy smiled at him tenderly as she sat, with him bringing her a glass of pinot noir. He placed it in front of her, and she smiled. She sipped the wine, hoping it would calm her nerves. Tim brought the food to the table, and they quietly enjoyed the feast Lucy had intended on cooking Tim to tell him about their baby. As they ate quietly, Lucy put all thoughts of babies, and Caleb out of her mind.

The next day, Grayson was frowning hugely at Lucy as they pulled their shop up to the food trucks. “I can’t freaking believe you haven’t told him yet, Lucy. You need to tell him...are you trying to ruin things between you two?” Lucy glared at Grayson as he parked their shop and turned off the engine. “You know damn well how much I love Tim and how much I want to be with him.” She huffed in frustration and looked out the windshield. Grayson struggled to hold onto his patience. “Then why haven’t you told him, Lucy?” Lucy rolled her eyes. “Grayson...you weren’t here when all of this happened. You didn’t see how it affected Tim. He felt so guilty, for so long, over my kidnapping.” Grayson looked at her...confused. “Ok...but why did Bradford feel that way? It’s not like he arranged it.” Lucy closed her eyes, her voice coming out strained. “Because he’s the one who told me to go out with Caleb that night.” Grayson swore, as Lucy plowed ahead. “It had been a really stressful shift, and at the end of it, I had every intention of going home...my home that is. Bradford and I weren’t involved then, because he was still my T.O. at that point. Anyway, I told him I was going home, and he told me that was the worst thing to do, that I should go out with Caleb, take my mind off of our shift.” Grayson nodded. “Ok...that’s pretty decent advice, actually.” Lucy sighed. “He told me that partly because it was good advice, and partly because he was trying to put some distance between us. Apparently by that time he’d begun seeing me as more than his rookie, and if I’d gone home, he’d have probably shown up at my apartment. So, he told me to go out with Caleb instead...and Caleb kidnapped me that night.” Grayson looked at her. “Ok...yeah, now I get why it’s hard to tell him. But Lucy, you have to tell him. The nightmares is one thing...but you’ve told me that you actually think you see Caleb. That’s not normal...you need to get that checked out. And you need to tell Bradford, period.” 

Lucy was about to argue when she saw Tim striding towards their shop. She quickly looked at Grayson, and all but begged. “Please...please don’t say anything.” Grayson frowned at her, as Lucy quickly got out of the shop. Tim looked at her and then at Grayson, who had also gotten out of the shop. “Everything ok?” Lucy quickly nodded, and put a bright smile on her face. “Yeah...just giving Grayson some advice on some women problems.” Tim rolled his eyes, missing the scowl Grayson had shot Lucy. Tim looked back at Lucy. “C’mon...let’s go eat. Wells, you coming?” Grayson sighed, hating being caught in the middle. “Yeah...I’m coming.” He wondered what the hell he was supposed to do in this situation...either betray his partner, or, piss off her boyfriend, aka his fellow cop, who was also his superior. Grayson wondered how the hell he’d gotten himself into this mess. 

Wesley had surprised everyone at lunch, and had picked up Timothy early from daycare. He found everyone at the tables by the food trucks, and walked over to them, with a cooing, squirmy Timothy in his arms. Jackson smiled as he saw them coming. “Hey! Look who’s here! My favorite little guy!” Angela turned suddenly, and then looked quickly back at Lucy, whose face fell at the sight of Angela’s baby. She looked at Angela and sighed. “It’s ok...really.” Angela just nodded. Thankfully, everyone else had jumped up to greet Wesley and Timothy and no one else had noticed the crestfallen expression on Lucy’s face. She got up and gathered their trash from lunch and walked to a trash can by one of the food trucks. She tossed the trash away when she heard a voice. “Hello, Officer Chen.” She knew that voice...it was Caleb’s voice. Lucy quickly looked up and whirled around, frantically looking everywhere...but she didn’t see him anywhere. Lucy closed her eyes in frustration. What the holy hell was wrong with her? She felt her lunch coming back up, and heaved into the trash can. She quickly wiped her mouth off and looked around again. But she saw nothing or no one unusual. She walked back to the tables with her shoulders slumped, and wondered what the hell was happening to her. She smiled as everyone was fawning over baby Timothy. She refused to let her loss overshadow Angela and Wesley’s happiness. She went to join everyone, and made funny faces at Timothy, making him smile. 

The rest of the shift was quiet, and Grayson had stopped pushing Lucy to tell Tim what was going on with her. With everything else that was happening to her lately, he figured he’d pushed enough. They walked out of Mid Wilshire together, in silence. “Lucy…” Lucy rolled her eyes and looked at Grayson. But he simply pulled her into a hard hug. “You know if you need anything, anytime, you can call me, right?” Lucy nodded. “I know. I promise, I’m ok.” He didn’t believe her, but he nodded anyway. “You want to go get a drink?” Lucy nodded and smiled. She wanted to put this stress between her and Grayson to rest. “Yeah, that would be fun. Just partners, or should we invite Tim and Jules?” Grayson laughed. “Let’s just keep it us tonight. Jules is mad at me anyway.” Lucy laughed as they walked to their cars. “Why is she mad at you?” Grayson rolled his eyes. “I bought her flowers the other day...she said I was moving too fast.” Lucy barked out a laugh. “Sounds like Jules. Just give her time Grayson...you’re the first relationship she’s had since Eddie. And after everything that happened with that, she’s just scared right now.” Grayson nodded. “Yeah, I know. You want to ride with me and I’ll bring you back to your car later?” Lucy shook her head. “No...I forgot something in my locker. You go ahead, and I’ll meet you there. Where are we going anyway?” Grayson thought about it. “How about Mike’s Hole In The Wall? It’s close.” Lucy smiled. “Sounds great! I’ll meet you there in fifteen minutes.” Grayson nodded as he reached his car. But he decided to wait for Lucy, so he leaned against his car, and scrolled through FaceBook on his phone.

Several minutes later, Lucy was running back to her car, and laughed as she saw Grayson. “I thought you were going ahead.” Grayson shook his head no...he’d had a funny feeling that he needed to wait for her. “Partners stick together, Chen, you know that.” Lucy rolled her eyes, but she smiled as she got into her car. “See you there!” Grayson smiled and nodded, and got in his car. They both pulled out of the parking lot, unaware they were being watched. 

Two beers and two margaritas in, Grayson called it quits. “If we drink anymore, Chen, we’re going to have to call someone to pick us up.” Lucy just laughed. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” She glanced at her phone and was shocked that it was almost midnight. She’d never meant to stay out this late, but she and Grayson had chatted the night away over drinks. She told him how she suspected Tim was going to propose soon, and he told her how crazy he already was about Jules. She and Grayson had talked and talked and talked over their drinks...and Lucy felt like they were on a good footing again. They paid their bar tabs and left the bar, and Grayson walked Lucy to her car. He looked at her. “You good?” She smiled and nodded. She gave him a quick hug, before she pulled her keys out. “Yeah, I’m good. Tell Jules I said hi.” Grayson smirked at her. “And what makes you think I’m going to see her tonight?” Lucy smirked back at him. “Oh please...I know you are.” Grayson just laughed. “Yeah, ok...I’ll tell her. See you tomorrow. Text me when you get home, ok?” Lucy nodded, smiling at his thoughtfulness, as Grayson walked to his car. She pulled her phone out to text Tim that she was going by her apartment first to get some clothes and then she’d head over to his house. She waved as Grayson drove away. She shoved her phone into her purse, and unlocked her car, and got inside. She shut the door and put the keys in her ignition when she froze. She heard the voice again. “Hello, Officer Chen.” Lucy glanced in her rear view mirror and saw him...it was Caleb. She closed her eyes in frustration, and her voice rang out inside her car. “You’re not real!” She opened her eyes again...only this time he was still there. Caleb’s evil smile froze Lucy in place. “I’m not?” Suddenly Lucy felt a prick in her neck, and then she passed out. Caleb calmly climbed up to the passenger’s seat and got out of the car. Then he walked around to the driver’s side and opened the door, shoving an unconscious Lucy into the passenger seat. Lucy had been kind of enough to put the keys in the ignition for him. He started the car up, and drove away.


	3. Vanished

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grayson and Jules finally sleep together for the first time, and because of that, Grayson doesn't at first realize Lucy never made it home from the bar. When he figures it out, he immediately alerts Tim, and Grayson confesses to him what Lucy wouldn't, about her nightmares and her hallucinations of seeing Caleb. Tim and Grayson go check out Lucy's apartment, and find it empty. Lucy has vanished without a trace, and that's enough for Tim to call in the calvary.

Grayson pulled up to his small house, and smiled when he saw who was sitting on his front steps, waiting for him. He got out of his car and quickly closed the distance between him and Jules...but his smile faltered when he saw her expression. He sat down beside her on the front steps and looked at her. “Everything ok?” Jules sighed and closed her eyes. “Yeah...just a tough case. We found another one.” Grayson pulled her close as she wearily rested her head on his shoulder. “Same guy?” Jules nodded. “Yeah, we think so. You know I can’t talk about the case much, Gray.” Grayson nodded...he knew. Jules was working what was perhaps the biggest case of her career thus far, other than the case that had killed her fiance, Detective Eddie Riley. The case Jules was currently working on was three missing women...who had all turned up dead. The fourth one had been found earlier in the evening. So while Lucy and Grayson had been drinking the night away, Jules had been staring at yet another dead body. Homicide Division had originally caught the case, but they had gotten nowhere with it, so, at the request of her former supervisor, Jules and Major Crimes had taken over the case. 

Grayson and Jules were wading through an interesting time. They were both catching flack, most of it good natured, for their newfound relationship. She was a few years older than him, and a seasoned, well respected Detective. He was the new guy, and a rookie beat cop with the LAPD. But they were both exactly what the other needed. Jules was just alone as he was...her only family being her father who had raised her as a single dad. She hadn’t introduced him to Grayson yet. She sighed into Grayson’s shoulder. “Can we go inside?” Grayson gave her a heated look. “Sure we can...but you should know you’re probably going to kill what reserve I have left. I know you want to take things slow…” Jules smiled at him then, and shocking the hell out of Grayson, took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. Grayson moaned into her mouth. “Damn Jules...you really are trying to kill me.” She laughed against his mouth as her tongue tangled with his. “No, I’m not...but I think it’s time we speed things up a bit.” Grayson stood up then and jerked her to her feet. He shoved her against his front door, diving into her mouth, as he fought to get the key into the lock. He finally managed to do it, and unlocked the door, shoving it open. He slammed the door hard and locked it, scaring his puppy, Sheeba, who ran into the kitchen. Grayson would make it up to her later. He feasted on Jules’ mouth and backed her roughly against the front door...and then forced himself to get control. They were both breathing heavy as he looked into her gorgeous, emerald green eyes. “Are you sure? We can wait if you’re not ready.” All Jules could do was quickly nod her head as she pulled Grayson back to her. She wanted his mouth on her, everywhere. They stumbled to his bedroom, shedding clothes as they went, their mouths fused together. They tumbled onto his bed, as she dragged his shirt over his head. He quickly did the same to her, and soon their clothes were scattered everywhere. She rolled him underneath her, and situated herself on top of him. He rolled his hips against her already soaking wet center. She smiled as she eased herself down onto him, sheathing him. She rode him hard and wild, throwing her head back as the passion built between them. He sat up as she rode him, and feasted on her breasts, and reached down to her clit, rubbing it with his thumb. It sent her over the edge, and they came together in a frenzy, before she collapsed on top of him. They were both sweaty and panting. He pinched her side and she giggled and squirmed. She smiled into his eyes...before Grayson turned serious, and flipped her over, and took her again. He’d never wanted any woman as much as he wanted Detective Julianna Mancinni. After a couple of hours they were both sufficiently worn out. It was just as Grayson was drifting off to sleep that he realized Lucy had never texted him to let him know she made it home. 

Lucy woke up, groggy, tied to a chair. Surely she was having a nightmare...just a really vivid one. She was so scared she was literally going crazy that she might not be able to tell reality from dreams anymore...though this was definitely not a dream. She frantically looked around and didn’t recognize where she was. The lighting was dim and she couldn’t see very well, her vision still fuzzy from whatever drug she’d been given. But she did recognize the monster who was grinning at her, seated in a chair directly across from her; it was Caleb Wright...and he was very much alive. Lucy’s eyes widened in horror as she realized her nightmare had become reality. 

Caleb rolled his eyes. “Stop looking at me like that, Lucy, I’m not going to hurt you. Here, let’s get that gag off and get you some water, ok angel? There, that’s it.” He gently untied the gag and took it off of her mouth, tossing it carelessly aside, and brought a bottle of water to her lips. She drank the water...and this time, he let her have as much as she wanted. He sighed as she gulped half the bottle down. “Easy...don’t want you getting sick. Let’s see if that stays down first and then you can have some more, ok?” Lucy frowned at him...she was so confused. Caleb laughed softly at her. “I guess you’re wondering how any of this is possible? Well, let’s just say I have friends in high places, and they got me out of that house that your co workers tried to kill me in.” Lucy vigorously shook her head in denial. “No...I read the reports...you were dead!” He sighed. “I almost died. Actually I think I technically was dead for a couple of minutes. Thank God for EMT’s.” Lucy frowned deeper at him. “Why did you take me again, Caleb? Almost killing me wasn’t enough for you? You want to finish the job, is that it?” Caleb sighed, and to Lucy’s shock and disgust, he stood up and brought his chair closer to her. He sat back down in it and softly stroked her cheek, making her cringe and shrink away from his touch. “I never wanted to hurt you Lucy...I never wanted to kill you. That was all Rosalind...she made me do that. But, I’m free of her now, and now we can be together.” Lucy grimaced as Caleb kissed her on her mouth...and it was all she could do not to throw up on him. He sadly looked at her. “I’m not a monster, Lucy. In time, you’ll see that. Now, let’s get you into bed.” Lucy cringed in horror at his implication. He frowned at her. “I said I wouldn’t hurt you Lucy. I’m literally tucking you in bed, and then I’m going to bed...in a different bedroom.” Lucy then glanced down and realized her wrists were tied together and her feet were tied together. There was no way she could escape, at least at the moment. Caleb untied the rope that he’d used to tie her to the chair, and picked her up. He gently carried her into a bedroom. He sat her down on the bed. “Do you need the bathroom first?” Lucy looked at him fearfully and nodded. Caleb smiled. “Ok.” he reached down and unbuttoned her jeans, caressing her stomach as he did so. He saw the bruises from where she’d been kicked and frowned. “What happened Angel? No matter, I’ll take care of it in the morning.” He carried Lucy to the bathroom and stood her in front of the toilet. He pulled her jeans and panties down, and loosened the rope around her ankles enough to where she could relieve herself. Lucy stared at him. “Do you mind?” Caleb laughed. “Let’s give this trust between us a little time to build, Angel.” Lucy looked away, feeling totally helpless. She was still sore from the fight she’d been in on shift, and she was still out of it and lightheaded from whatever Caleb had drugged her with. She sighed in defeat, and relieved herself. At least she could do that...and she felt immensely better once her painfully full bladder was empty. Caleb handed her some toilet paper, and she cleaned herself. After she was through, he pulled her panties and her jeans back up, but didn’t button the jeans. He carried her back to the bedroom and placed her on the bed. Then he took her boots off, and her socks. He looked at her and smiled. “Need anything else?” Lucy just stared at him, giving him no response. He simply nodded. “Ok then...lie back and try to sleep. See you in the morning Angel.” He walked out of the bedroom, turning off the light and plunging the room into darkness; then he shut and shut and locked the door. He went to his own bedroom and crawled into bed, falling into a happy, deep sleep. Lucy laid down on the bed and cried. No one had any idea where she was, and the last time she’d gone up against Caleb, she’d lost. It was Tim who saved her...but he wasn’t here now. Lucy cried in defeat and tried to make peace with the fact that her life was probably going to end soon. She cried herself to sleep and when she dreamed, she dreamed of Tim, and her first weeks and months as his rookie. 

Tim woke up the next morning, and frowned. Lucy had never made it to his house last night. He glanced at his phone...nothing. No texts or calls from her. He knew she’d gone out with Grayson for drinks last night. Maybe she’d been too tired when she’s gotten back to her apartment and had fallen asleep. He sighed and got out of bed. He went into the kitchen to make some coffee. As the coffee was brewing, he took a quick shower. Thankfully, he was off today, and he hoped he’d get to spend it with Lucy. He finished showering, quickly dressed, and went into the kitchen. He was pouring a cup of coffee when he heard the insistent banging on his front door, startling him enough that he almost dropped his coffee mug. What the hell? He put the coffee down and stalked to the front door and jerked it open….to a very worried Grayson. Tim smirked at him. “Late night? Want some coffee? I just made some.” He turned around and started to head to the kitchen when the sound of Grayson’s voice froze him in his tracks. “Bradford...it’s Chen.” Tim slowly turned back around and looked at Grayson. “What’s Chen? What are you talking about?” Grayson hurried inside and closed the door. “We went out for drinks last night, and were out way later than we had planned on being.” Tim frowned, but he let Grayson talk. “I walked Lucy to her car, and she seemed fine.” Tim sighed. “Were you two drunk?” Grayson shook his head. “No. We stopped before we got to that point. Anyway, like I said, I walked her to her car, I saw her get in it. I drove off and went home. I told her to text me when she made it home.” Tim’s frown increased with every word...and so did his worry. Grayson hurriedly finished the rest of his story. “Jules was waiting for me when I got home and we...we….” Tim nodded. “I get it. Get to the point Wells.” Grayson nodded. “So, Lucy never texted me that she made it home. I checked my phone this morning...no calls or texts from her. I called her, and got no answer. So I went by her apartment. Her car isn’t in the parking lot. I checked with the doorman who was on duty, and he said he didn’t see her last night. Bradford, I don’t think she ever made it home last night.” Tim’s mind was racing...his first conclusion was that she had been in some sort of accident. But the look on Grayson’s face told him there was more to this story. “What aren’t you telling me Wells?” Grayson closed his eyes. He hated betraying Lucy’s confidence...but he had a bad feeling she was in trouble, and he’d do whatever he had to do to save her. “I told her to tell you...and she promised me she would. But she never did...and now she’s vanished. Damn...this is all my fault, I should have made her tell you.” Grayson sat on Tim’s couch and buried his head in his hands. Tim stared at him...not sure where this was going. He sat next to Grayson. “You’re not making much sense, Wells. What are you talking about?” Grayson looked up at Tim. “Lucy told me about her kidnapping.” Tim nodded, and let Grayson continue. “Yeah, I know that, she told me that she told you about it.” Grayson sighed in frustration. “Yeah, but what you don’t know is that over the last several weeks, Lucy’s nightmares were coming back...with a vengeance. And she was having hallucinations. She thought she was seeing the guy who abducted her.” Tim’s eyes went wide with shock. “What are you saying, Wells?” Grayson grimly looked at him. “I’m saying what if they weren’t hallucinations? What if she really did see him?” Tim stood up and paced and shook his head hard, completely in denial. “Not possible, Caleb Wright is dead.” Grayson stood up and eyed Tim specuatively. “Is he? Are you sure about that?” 

Suddenly, Lucy’s strange behavior in the weeks before she vanished began to make a horrible kind of sense to Tim. He honestly wasn’t sure Caleb Wright was dead. He’d never seen Caleb’s body...when he’d gotten to the house that Caleb was using for his lair, Tim had never gone inside. By the time Tim had arrived on scene, he’d been told Caleb was dead, and they had immediately launched a search for Lucy. But he had never seen Caleb’s body with his own eyes...he’d only assumed what he’d been told was accurate. 

Tim ran into his bedroom and grabbed his gun and badge. He jogged out of his bedroom, glancing at Grayson. “C’mon...first thing we’re doing is going to Lucy’s apartment.” Grayson nodded, as he and Tim ran into the garage and jumped into Tim’s truck. Tim started the engine and hit the button to open the garage door. Grayson glanced at him. “And what if she’s not there?” Tim looked at him grimly. “Then we’re going to visit some people. Lucky you, you might get to meet a dirty cop and a serial killer all in one day.” Tim backed out of his garage, and into his street, hitting the button to close the garage. Then he stomped on the gas, and floored it to Lucy’s apartment.   
Tim and Grayson stood outside the door of Lucy’s apartment. He nodded to the apartment manager. “Open it.” Tim and Grayson both had their weapons raised as the apartment manager nodded and quickly unlocked her door. Grayson pointed to the apartment manager. “You...stand over there.” The apartment manager quickly backed out of the way. Tim and Grayson looked at each other; then Tim nodded, and they burst inside. For all they knew, Lucy was being held hostage in her apartment, so they went in prepared for anything. They quickly cleared the apartment, and realized it was empty. The apartment manager peeked inside. “Is she here? Is everything ok?” Tim grimly looked at the man whose face was etched in concern. “No, she’s not here, and no, I don’t think everything is ok.” He left the apartment manager standing there, as he and Grayson looked around. They found nothing...but they could tell Lucy hadn’t made it home last night. Her bed was still made, the uniform she had been wearing was nowhere to be found, and her shower was dry. She obviously hadn’t been here at all since yesterday. 

Grayson sighed as Tim whipped out his phone. “Now what? Who are you calling?” Tim looked at him grimly. “Everybody.”


	4. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim and Grayson alert Sgt. Grey to the fact that Lucy is missing. Julianna questions a suspect, hard, in Lucy's disappearance. Nolan and Harper visit Rosalind Dyer in prison, and she reveals some much needed intel.

Tim’s first call was to his cousin, U.S. Navy SEAL Chief Jase Billings. He got ahold of Jase and told him what was going on. Jase was already on his way to L.A. to visit his fiancee, Detective Nyla Harper. Tim was relieved to hear that...especially when Jase told him he was a few hours outside of L.A. Next, Tim called his best friend, Special Agent Monica Reynolds. After finding out that Lucy was missing, Monica told Tim that while she couldn’t officially investigate the case, she’d check with her informants, and see if they had heard anything about a missing cop. Tim sighed as he hung up the phone and looked at Grayson. “C’mon...we have to take this to Sgt. Grey.” Grayson nodded, and prepared to face the music.

Sgt. Grey looked at Tim and Grayson. They were all sitting in his office, as Tim explained the situation, for the second time. Sgt. Grey frowned at Grayson. “Officer Wells, you’re not in trouble here, so get that look off your face. You didn’t even work here when Officer Chen was abducted by this guy, so, you had no way of knowing what a mess this whole thing is. Although, you should have reported it to someone when it became apparent that something was wrong with Officer Chen...and we’ll discuss that later.” Grayson nodded as Sgt. Grey looked at Tim. “Officer Bradford...it’s just not possible. Caleb Wright is dead. Nolan and Harper saw him die.” Tim glared at Sgt. Grey. “Maybe not sir...remember, it was Detective Armstrong who made the call that Wright was deceased. He’s the one that told Nolan and Harper that. But none of the rest of us ever saw Wright’s body...we just took Armstrong’s word for it. By the time we arrived on scene, the search for Lucy was priority. None of us actually watched the medics load him up and take him away, we were all looking for Lucy by that point. And when I found her, Armstrong was the last to arrive at her burial site to help. Don’t you remember?” Sgt. Grey frowned thoughtfully at that...Bradford was in fact correct. Still...all of this seemed like a long shot. “Ok Bradford...assuming you’re correct on all of this, why would Armstrong do this? He had no beef with Officer Chen. He liked her as far as I knew. If Caleb Wright is in fact alive, that means someone helped him escape that house...and it sounds like you’re implying that it was Armstrong.” Tim started to argue but Sgt. Grey held up his hand. “I’m not saying you’re wrong about that...I’m simply asking why would Armstrong help Caleb Wright?” Tim shrugged his shoulders. “Why don’t we go ask him?” Sgt. Grey nodded, but held up his hand again. “Ok...here’s what’s going to happen. First, we’re putting out an APB on Officer Chen and her vehicle. I want Harper and Nolan in here now, and then after that, you two are going to talk to Armstrong.” Detective Nick Armstrong was a very dirty cop, and after all of his nefarious activities had been discovered, he’d all but been thrown under the jail. He was currently sitting in San Quinton, serving a very long sentence for everything he’d tried to do..including his murder attempt on Officer John Nolan. 

Sgt. Grey texted Nolan that he wanted him and Harper in his office, immediately. Less than five minutes later, Harper and Nolan walked into his office...thankfully they’d been in the break room, and not out on patrol. Harper raised her eyebrows as she saw Tim and Grayson sitting in Sgt. Grey’s office. “Sergeant? You wanted to see us?” Sgt. Grey nodded. “Come in...and close the door.” Nolan and Harper glanced at each other as they did what Sgt. Grey asked. Sgt. Grey looked at them. “I’ll get right to the point. Officer Chen is missing...and there are signs that she’s been abducted...by Caleb Wright.” Harper and Nolan gasped, their eyes wide with shock. Nolan spoke first. “That’s impossible sir, Harper shot him, and I saw him die.” Sgt. Grey closed his eyes in frustration. “I read the report when all of this happened...but I want you and Harper to tell me every tiny detail you remember about that day, when you were inside that house with Wright. Do not leave anything out.” They looked at each other and nodded. Tim sighed deeply and closed his eyes, as he was forced to relieve the worst day of his life. 

Grayson was doing his best to force the tears back. Obviously Lucy hadn’t told him everything about her abduction. He had no idea the hell she had gone through...but he did now. And now he felt even more guilty for not bringing to attention sooner her worsening nightmares, what she thought were her hallucinations, and her increasingly strange behavior. Maybe if he had, they wouldn’t be in this mess right now. But he couldn’t change the past, so, the best he could do was to help find her, and fast. 

About twenty minutes later, Jules burst into Sgt. Grey’s office. Sgt. Grey scowled deeply at her. “Detective...we’re busy here. You better have a damn good reason for waltzing in here like you own the place.” Jules nodded quickly at Sgt. Grey. “Yes, sir, I think I do.” Sgt. Grey glanced around at the anxious faces in his office before looking back at Detective Mancinni. “Ok, let’s have it.” Jules quickly nodded, and placed a fat case file on Sgt. Grey’s desk. “Sergeant, this is the case I’m currently working on.” Sgt. Grey rolled his eyes...he didn’t have time for this. “Ok...you can talk to me about it later, Detective. I have a missing officer I’m trying to locate.” Jules interrupted him. “Yes sir, I know; Officer Chen. I think she ties into my case.” Tim and Grayson’s eyes went wide as they both stood up and looked at Jules. She quickly opened the case file. “Look...four victims, all the same age, all taken at midnight, or around that time…” Sgt. Grey swore as he looked at the faces of her victims. “Shit...and they all look exactly like Officer Chen.” Jules nodded quickly. “Yeah...I think the guy I’m after is the same guy who took Officer Chen.” Tim closed his eyes...things had just gone from bad to really fucking horrible in a matter of a few seconds. Sgt. Grey stood up. He called the communications center and had them put an APB out on Officer Chen and her vehicle. Then he looked at Grayson and Tim. “You two...go talk to Armstrong. Now.” Finally he pointed to Nolan and Harper, and Nolan cringed...he knew where this was going. “You want us to go talk to Rosalind, right?” Sgt. Grey nodded. “Yep. Move it people...we know what Caleb Wright is capable of...and that means Officer Chen doesn’t have much time.” Everyone filed out of Sgt. Grey’s office, and prepared for their missions. They had to find Lucy before it was too late.

Within two hours, Lucy’s vehicle had been located at a small house about twenty minutes from Mid Wilshire. Jules got the alert, and she and Detective Adam Sutherland ran out of the station and jumped into their vehicle. Jules glanced at Adam. “You get people to sit on the location?” He nodded. “Yep, it’s done. We’ve got plain clothes officers sitting in the neighborhood.” Jules smiled. “It’s highly doubtful he’s got her stashed in that house...it’s too easy to find.” Adam nodded in agreement with her. “Yep… which is why everyone is on a do not approach order. If that vehicles moves, we’ll know about it.” Jules nodded, and fervently hoped that vehicle would move...and lead them straight to Lucy. 

Adam and Jules pulled onto the street...and were surprised to see a patrol car come flying up the street with it’s lights and sirens on. Jules screamed in frustration. “No, no, no! They’re not supposed to approach!” Adam stomped on the gas and floored it trying to cut off the patrol car, but he was too late. Just as a young woman who looked to be in her mid twenties came out of the house, two patrol officers slammed on their breaks and parked right beside Lucy’s vehicle. They jumped out of the car and raised their weapons at the woman. “Freeze! Hands above your head, now!” The woman gasped in shock as Adam and Jules parked right behind the patrol car. Jules jumped out of her car and ran towards the patrol officers, absolutely furious. “What the hell are you doing? We called everyone off this street...it was a sit on location only! You weren’t supposed to approach!” Jules was roaring at the top of her lungs as Adam was yelling at the other patrolman...both of whom were cringing. Jules glared at the young patrolman shrinking in front of her. “Do you know what the hell you just did? Get the fuck back in your car and get the fuck out of here before I arrest your ass myself for being galactically stupid!” She stalked off and went after the woman, who was trying to run back inside her house. Jules got to her before the woman went inside, and whirled her around...and her fuse exploded when she saw the woman’s smirk. She definitely knew something, alright. The woman dropped a set of keys that she’d been holding, and Jules looked down at them...and recognized that they were Lucy’s. The woman kept smirking. She looked at Jules, triumphantly. “I have nothing to say.” Jules cocked her head and sent her a smug smile. “Oh...you’re going to talk to me.” Jules spun her around and slammed her against the side of the house and snapped on the cuffs. She grabbed the woman’s neck, and hauled her down to where Adam had brought their car and parked it. She opened the back door, threw the handcuffed woman inside, and slammed the back door. Adam scowled at her. “Jules…” Before he could say anything else, Jules glared at Adam. “She knows something. She had Lucy’s car keys in her hand.” Jules ran back up to the front door and grabbed the keys off the ground. She ran back to the car, and looked at Adam, dangling the keys. Adam smiled. “Yeah...she definitely knows something.” Jules gave the keys to one of the plainclothes officers with orders to stay sitting on the house and the car until the scene could be processed. Then she got into the car with Adam and they drove away, hoping to hell they could get a Lead on Lucy’s location before it was too late. 

Nolan was standing in Rosalind’s cell, as Harper stood outside of it. For whatever sick reason that John didn’t care to know, Rosalind really liked him, and would talk to him as easily as if she was chatting with him over coffee. It made his stomach turn, but he’d do whatever he had to do to get a lead on Lucy. Rosalind was shaking her head, refusing to accept what John had just told her. “No, I don’t believe it. Caleb would never do that to me. If he was still alive, I’d know about it. He’d find a way to let me know.” John sighed. “Face it Rosalind, he moved on, without you. He dumped you when he didn’t need you anymore. He knew you were never getting out of here. And you’re the one that’s locked up in here...not him. Doesn’t seem very fair to me.” Rosalind was on her knees with her hands cuffed behind her back. She looked up at John...unsure of everything now. Would Caleb really betray her like this? If so, that meant Armstrong probably had betrayed her too. John was right...she didn’t need to protect them anymore. John looked at her. “Rosalind...you still have a chance to take back the power here. You have a chance to regain control. Tell me anything, and everything, that you can think of, anything that might help us find Lucy.” Rosalind sighed. “I never had anything against Officer Chen. She was just a means to an end.” John forced down his bubbling fury, and nodded his head. “I know that Rosalind. Just tell me anything, please.” Rosalind closed her eyes, trying to remember everything she and Caleb had discussed. John waited as Rosalind went back through all of the notes, letters, and discussions that were cataloged in her mind. Her eyes snapped open. “I can give you two possible locations...kind of.” John glanced at Harper, who whipped out a pen and pad. “Ok, go ahead.” Rosalind looked at him pleadingly. “I’ve never been to either location, and I don’t know exactly where they are.” John nodded, sighing in frustration. “That’s ok...just tell me what you can.” Rosalind nodded. “Caleb once mentioned that his father had a small fishing cabin in Big Sur.” John nodded, and pressed her for more details. “Ok, that’s good, Rosalind. Do you remember where in Big Sur?” She looked at him. “Somewhere on El Estero Lake, but he never told me exactly where.” John nodded, and asked her more questions. “Do you know his uncle’s name?” Rosalind tilted her head to the side. “I do...but what’s in all of this for me?” John kept his glare under control. “To regain control. If you help us screw up whatever Caleb’s plan is, I’ll be sure and let him know how we found him. Teach him a lesson...teach him that no one screws with Rosalind Dyer.” Rosalind smiled wickedly at that. She knew that John didn’t have enough pull to do anything about her conviction or sentence...but he could see that Caleb was punished for screwing with her. “His uncle’s name is Wallis...Wallis Wright.” John glanced at Nyla who smiled at him triumphantly. John smiled and nodded at Rosalind. “You said there were two locations...what’s the other one?” Rosalind smiled at John as she felt the power rushing through her veins. So sorry Caleb...not. “A small beach house in Carmel- By- The- Sea.” John nodded, and looked at Rosalind. “Thank you very much Rosalind. I appreciate your help.” Rosalind smiled at John. “You’re very welcome John. Be sure and tell Nick I said hello.” John frowned slightly at the catch in Rosalind’s voice...and couldn’t help but get the feeling Rosalind Dyer still held secrets that she had yet to reveal.


	5. Broken Vows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim and Grayson go visit disgraced Detective Nick Armstrong in prison, hoping to learn some intel that would lead them straight to Lucy. Armstrong has secrets of his own, and Tim is floored when he finds out what Armstrong's deepest, darkest secret is. Lucy bides her time with Caleb.

Tim and Grayson were in a small section for visitors, inside San Quentin, waiting prisoner 87765 to be brought to them. Prisoner 87765 was none other than disgraced Detective Nick Armstrong. He’d been in prison for about a year now, convicted for his vast array of crimes. He had received a sentence of fifty years, but with good behavior, could possibly get out in as early as twenty five years. Tim had briefed Grayson on everything Nick had done. Grayson was shocked that a detective could go so horribly wrong. 

Just then, Tim glanced up and saw Nick being led out in his orange prison uniform. He wasn’t cuffed, or shackled, and Tim wasn’t worried about that. If something happened, he knew he and Grayson could easily overpower him. Nick sat down at a table, and looked in surprise at Tim. “Bradford...to what do I owe the pleasure?” Then he glanced at Grayson. “And who’s this?” Tim had hoped with this informal way of questioning Nick that he’d get more answers out of him than he would in an interrogation room with Nick cuffed. It had been decided that Tim would take the lead on questioning Nick...especially since Grayson didn’t know Nick at all. Tim sighed. “We have a problem Nick, a serious one, and I’m hoping you can help me with it.” Nick laughed. “Me? Seriously? Umm...not sure how much help I can be from inside here, but I’ll try. Hit me.” Tim wanted to hit him alright...right in the mouth. But he kept himself under control. “Nick...Lucy’s missing.” Nick raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Again? Are you serious?” Tim grimly nodded. “Yeah, I am. Now Nick...look. You’ve already been tried and sentenced. You’re already in here...so admitting anything to me now won’t add to your sentence. If you help us, I’ll see what I can do to get some time knocked off your sentence.” Nick narrowed his eyes at Tim. “Bradford...what the hell are you talking about?” Tim went for his first play, hoping it would be a home run. “I need to know why you helped Caleb escape that house when we were looking for Lucy the first time he took her, and where he could be this time. Because he’s taken her again.” Tim watched the color drain from Nick’s face, and knew he had just hit it out of the ballpark. 

While Tim and Grayson were questioning Nick, and Nolan and Harper were on their way back to Mid Wilshire with the info they’d gotten out of Rosalind, Lucy was sitting at the table in the house Caleb was holding her prisoner in. He had just fixed her a grilled egg and cheese sandwich and had poured her a glass of milk. The smell of the food made her want to vomit. “Caleb...I’ve been sick lately. I’m not completely over it yet...I don’t think I can eat this quite yet.” Caleb whirled around and Lucy saw the fury in his eyes. She hurried to explain before he could hurt her...but she refused to tell him about the baby she had lost. Her baby might live in heaven now, but Lucy was still going to protect it. “I had the stomach flu. I’m not quite over it yet.” Caleb regained control of himself. “Oh...ok. Well then I’ll eat this, and maybe some soup for you? Chicken noodle ok?” Lucy nodded. She knew she needed to eat something to keep her strength up if she was going to escape. “Yes, that would be fine, thank you.” Caleb smiled at her. He got a can of chicken noddle soup out of the small pantry and opened it. He dumped it into a small pot he kept on the stove, and turned the stove on. “Should be ready in a few minutes, Angel. Would you rather have some water instead?” Lucy nodded, pretending to be utterly grateful for the TLC Caleb was showing her. She looked at him, and wondered how the hell she was going to get out of this mess. But she vowed she would. Somehow she would find a way to get out of here, and get back to Tim. Failure was not an option.

Back at the prison, Tim waited for an explanation from Nick. Grayson glared at Nick, who rolled his eyes. “Who’s this guy?” Tim glanced at Grayson and then back at Nick. “He’s Chen’s new partner.” Nick gave Tim a knowing smile. “Ah...so you guys had to split up I take it?” Tim simply nodded. “Lucy and I are together now. In fact, we’re getting married. So please Nick...help us find her, before it’s too late. Please.” Nick was surprised that of all people, Bradford had completely fallen for his rookie. He was even more surprised to hear news of the impending marriage. Nick sighed and looked away uneasily. “I never meant for her to get dragged into all of this. It was all Rosalind’s idea. I had no choice Bradford. You have to understand that. I liked Lucy, a lot. I never wanted anything bad to happen to her.” Grayson was about to pounce, until he caught a death glare from Tim. Grayson sat back and sighed. Tim looked at Nick. “Well, something bad is probably happening to her right now, Nick. You’re the only person who can help me stop it. Now, please tell me what you mean by you never meant to get her involved. What does that mean?” Nick glanced uneasily between Tim and Grayson...there was much no one knew about his relationship with Rosalind. And he weighed on telling Tim, or keeping it a secret. Finally he caved...his life as a cop was over. His life as a free civilian was over. And as much as that sucked, he really did like Officer Lucy Chen, and he didn’t want to see her pay any more than she already had for the awful things that he had done. Nick decided the time had come for him to pay the piper. He sighed in defeat. “Ok...you know I was the detective who caught the case to investigate the murders that Rosalind was committing.” Tim nodded...he remembered the case well. Grayson watched Nick and waited...hoping for something, anything that could lead them to Lucy. Nick’s shoulders slumped as he continued telling the twisted tale. “Rosalind was not considered a suspect...at first. But I knew she knew something...I thought maybe she knew who was committing the murders and was protecting them.” Tim nodded, encouraging Nick to continue. “Ok...and then?” Nick rolled his eyes, silently begging God to forgive him. “Well, as you know, I was going through a rough time personally. My wife was dying.” Tim nodded in understanding, as Nick continued. “I had just been told my wife was in the last days of her life. And I just couldn’t bare to watch her die. I know it was selfish of me, but there it is. So I threw myself into the case. I questioned Rosalind several times and began to suspect that it was in fact her that was committing the murders.” A feeling of dread was settling over Tim...he was afraid he knew where this was going, but he said nothing and let Nick do all of the talking. “It was during one of the last times I questioned Rosalind that it happened.” Grayson frowned at him, not quite sure he was following but Tim sure was. He waited for Nick to drop the bomb...and he didn’t have to wait long. Nick sighed deeply as he admitted his darkest, most painful secret, out loud, for the first time. “I slept with Rosalind...and we began an affair.” Tim closed his eyes...he’d been right. Grayson’s eyes about popped out of his head. “You slept with a suspect in your own case?” Nick glared at him. “Yes, I did. You don’t have a fucking clue what I was going through. The love of my life was dying, and I was doing anything I could to escape that reality...it damn near killed me.” Tim had to regain control of the conversation before Nick got too upset. Tim spoke up quickly. “Ok...let’s get back on track here. You slept with Rosalind, you began seeing each other...and?” Nick sighed. “And she began to blackmail me. I thought Rosalind actually cared about me...I didn’t realize what kind of psycho she was until I was already in too deep. She said she’d keep the affair secret, if I did whatever she told me to do. But Rosalind made too many mistakes, and I couldn’t keep them from finding out who she was and what she was doing. We arrested her, and she was tried and convicted.” Nick pushed ahead...he had to get the rest out while he could. “She was still blackmailing me from prison. She had tapes of us together...being intimate, or she said she did. I had no choice but to believe her. Rosalind started getting fan mail in prison, and decided to have fun any way she could.” Tim nodded and finished it for him. “So when Caleb became her disciple, your job was to protect him from getting caught, right?” Nick nodded, as Grayson looked at him with a mixture of hatred and disgust. Tim schooled his features, so Nick would keep talking. He had to get as much information as he could out of Nick. Nick kept going. “I did what I could to protect Lucy...when I found out about it. That’s why I let Caleb take me hostage that day. But Rosalind continued to threaten me, even from jail. She told me if Caleb died or got caught, she’d tell everyone everything about us. I would have lost the only thing I had left at that point, which was my shield. So that day at the house, after Harper shot Caleb, I honestly thought he did die in Nolan’s arms. After Harper and Nolan went back outside, I checked for a pulse, and was shocked to find Caleb still had one. I knew I had to get him out of that house before he died.” Tim nodded at him. “How did you do that?” Nick sighed. I knew the coroner was on their way. When they got there, I told them that Caleb was actually alive, and wanted for questioning in the disappearence of Officer Chen and to keep him alive at all costs. They’re the ones who took him back to the hospital.” Tim sighed. “And that’s why you were the last person that arrived at Lucy’s burial site.” Nick nodded. “Yeah. After she’d been found, I left the scene and went to the hospital, and got Caleb out of there. I had him transferred to a different hospital after that, under a different name. I kept tabs on him, but he disappeared from the hospital after about two weeks. I had no idea what had happened to him until you came to see me today.” Tim closed his eyes, trying to take in all the information Nick had just given him. “Ok, let me ask you this. Why didn’t Rosalind rat you out after Caleb vanished?” Nick sighed. “Because by then Nolan was already onto me about my other activities. Rosalind didn’t need to rat me out...she kept that card close to her vest to play another day, if she needed it.” Tim sighed. “Ok. Well, I still need your help. Do you know of anywhere that Caleb might have taken Lucy?” Nick thought hard, trying to think of any possibilities. “Have you been back to Rosalind’s uncle’s house...where he took her the first time?” Tim nodded. “We will be...but I don’t see him being stupid enough to take her back there. He knows that’s the first place we’d look.” Nick hung his head. “I’m sorry Bradford...I have no idea where he would have taken her. If I did I’d tell you.” Tim nodded, believing that Nick would. “Ok...I guess that’s it then. If you think of anything, get in touch with me.” Nick nodded. He looked at Tim and Grayson as they stood up and started to walk out. “Hey, Bradford?” Tim turned and looked at Nick. Nick looked at him sorrowfully. “I really hope you find her.” Tim nodded and turned and walked out, with Grayson following him.

They walked out into the parking lot, and got into Tim’s truck. Grayson slammed the door in frustration. “We didn’t find out one damn piece of useful intel.” Tim glared at him. “Oh, yes we did. We just confirmed that Caleb Wright is alive...and not only that, we know how, and why he escaped and who helped him.” Grayson nodded. “Ok...so now what?” Tim’s mind was racing as he started his truck. “Caleb wouldn’t take Lucy back to any place that connects to Rosalind. My guess is he’d take Lucy somewhere that connects only to him. And now that we know he’s alive, we have a trail we can follow. We go digging into his past, from the second he was conceived until the second he disappeared from the hospital. Something in his past will tell us where Lucy is.” Tim pulled out of the parking lot and headed back to Mid Wilshire.


	6. Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Detective Julianna Mancinni shows us all why she's the best in the business when she goes after a suspect, hard, in interrogation. Jules breaks her suspect, who coughs up some desperately needed intel on Lucy and Caleb. Grayson is shocked and amazed by the power of Jules.

Juilanna slammed Lucy’s picture down in front of the woman she had arrested, Linda Hancock. Linda sent Julianna an amused look. “Like I said, I don’t know her.” Julianna shook her head. “That’s not going to fly, Linda. You had her car keys in your hand. You were about to get into her car when we arrested you. Now, I’m going to ask you one more time. Where the fuck are Caleb Wright and Officer Chen?” Linda glared at her. “It’s too late, you’ve angered the prophet. Officer Chen is dead, or will be soon. And then the prophet will come for me and give me the life he promised.” Julianna stared at Linda...what the fuck? Who the fuck is the prophet? Oh well...looked like this interrogation was going to take a bit longer than expected. Julianna took her coat off and draped it on the chair behind her, and strapped in. Time to put Julianna away and break out Jules, the ballbuster. Linda Hancock lost the amused smirk on her face that she’d been sending Julianna’s way as she saw the anger and the intimidation flash in Julianna’s eyes. There was a reason that Julianna’s nickname was simply “Ice.” Because she could turn your blood stone cold with just a look...and she was giving Linda Hancock that look right now. Linda Hancock shrank back in the chair under Julianna’s icy glare.

Tim and Grayson had broken pretty much every traffic law known to man to make it back to Mid Wilshire as fast as they had. They filled Sgt. Grey in on what they had been told by Nick. Sgt. Grey closed his eyes and swore. “The damage that man has done to this department is extensive...I’d like to go to that damn prison and smash his face in.” Tim just nodded. He’d been doing a good job of keeping his emotions in check...so far. Grayson glanced at Sgt. Grey. “You made any progress?” Sgt. Grey nodded. “Detective Mancinni was able to trace Lucy’s car. She’s got someone in interrogation as we speak.” Tim and Grayson both bolted out of the office before Sgt. Grey could stop them. Detective Adam Sutherland was standing outside of the interrogation room...he’d been waiting for Tim and Lucy’s partner, Grayson to invade, and he was ready for them. Tim stalked to him, and Adam started shaking his head. “No, Tim, so don’t bother asking. Same goes for you, Officer Wells.” They both started to argue, and Adam held up his hand. “You can’t be in on the interrogation...no exceptions. But I will let you watch it.” Tim and Grayson glanced at each other. Tim nodded, knowing it was the best they were going to get. Adam led them into a room beside the interrogation room and flipped on the speakers. He looked at both of them. “Let Jules do her job. No one is as good as she is...if anyone can get a lead on Officer Chen’s whereabouts, it’s Jules.”

Julianna frowned at Linda. “So explain to me this prophet stuff. Who is the prophet?” A dazed look came over Linda’s face as she smiled. “Why, Caleb is of course. He’s been sent to rid the world of sinners. And when he’s done, he and I will be married and live in the light.” Julianna burst out laughing. Grayson frowned from behind the glass. “If Jules keeps that up, she’s going to piss that woman off and not get any answers.” Adam looked at Grayson and smirked. “Oh young one...you have much to learn. Just watch. The best part is coming up.” Grayson rolled his eyes, and said a prayer that Jules knew what she was doing. Tim was doing his best to control his simmering rage. He wanted to go into that room and beat a confession out of the woman Julianna was questioning. Adam glanced at him. “I’m serious, Tim. I’ll cuff you in this room before I let you in that room with Jules.” Tim glared at him, and Adam glared right back. But Tim knew he had to play it cool...he had to let Jules do her thing. And she was just about to do her thing, and do it to perfection. 

Jules kept laughing and shaking her head. “Oh Linda...you poor sweet soul.” Linda scowled at Jules. “Excuse me?” Jules gestured around the room. “Look where you are. I don’t see your precious prophet anywhere. He seems to not give a rat’s ass that you were caught. He’s letting you take the fall for what he’s doing. And while he’s banging Officer Chen and probably making babies with her and treating her like a queen while they live in the light, you’re going to be scrubbing bathroom floors with a tooth brush, and be told when to eat, when to sleep, and when to piss.” Linda gasped in shock. “No! You’re wrong! Caleb wouldn’t do that to me!” Jules rolled her eyes. “Then where the fuck is he? I can tell you where he’s not...he’s certainly not running to your rescue.” Jules glanced at her watch. “Yeah, I’d say right about now he’s in bed with Officer Chen. Tell me something, Linda...do you think he screams her name or just moans it when they’re in bed together? Do you think he was wishing for her when he was with you?” Jules saw that she was getting to Linda, and that Linda would break soon, so Jules kept pushing the buttons. “Ohhh...I get it now. He hasn’t been with you has he? No horizontal tango for you and good old Caleb huh? What a shame.” That set Linda off and she lunged at Jules, who easily shoved her back, hard, into the chair. Jules took her badge off that was clipped to her belt and slammed it on the table. She pointed to it. “You think I give a fuck about that badge little Linda? You want to go a few rounds, I’ll be happy to oblige you. And when I get done, I hope you have enough teeth left to tell me what the fuck I want to know.” Linda paled as Jules walked over to her, and stood way in her personal space, towering over her as Linda curled into the chair, terrified. “Tell me where the fuck he is Linda. And I mean right now. Unless you want to go down for all of the murders he’s committed; Including the murder of Officer Chen. You know what cop killers get in this state Linda? They get the death penalty. And I promise you, your precious prophet is going to let you take the fall while he lives out his happy little life with your replacement. Now where the fuck is he?” Jules had all but roared it, making Linda cower in fear. 

Grayson’s eyes about popped out of his head. “Holy shit...remind me to never piss her off.” Adam laughed. “Well...you’re the one brave enough, or maybe dumb enough, to be dating her. Good luck with that.” Tim held up his hand for silence...he saw it and then Adam did too. Linda was about to break.

Linda sobbed...and the words were so mumbled and she was crying so hard, Jules could barely make them out. “I didn’t know about the others until he told me. We dated for six months before he told me he was a prophet. He told me he was ridding the world of sinners.” Jules nodded; now they were getting somewhere. “Ok...what does that mean Linda? What sinners?” Linda looked at her and hiccuped from how hard she’d been crying. “Girls that he tried to make into Officer Chen. He’s been obsessed with Officer Chen for a long time.” Jules took a breath and then continued. “Ok...what do you mean by make them into her?” Linda fidgeted with her hands as she looked at the floor and then back at Jules. “Like he wanted them to dress like her, and wear their hair like she did, and he’d call them Lucy even if that wasn’t their name.” Jules nodded. “And what would he do when his plan would fail?” Linda closed her eyes as tears leaked out and down her cheeks. “He’d get rid of them. He said that they were committing the worst sin of all by being unable to make his fantasies of Officer Chen come true.” Jules closed her eyes briefly...those poor girls. “Linda, did he tell you what his plan is for Officer Chen?” Linda nodded. “He wants to have a son with her...and then he would take their son and raise him with me.” Jules cringed...wow, talk about fucked up. Jules looked at Linda. “And what happens if this plan of his with Officer Chen fails?” Linda looked at Jules and then at the floor. “He gets rid of her.” Jules grabbed Linda’s arm, frantically. “He kills her and dumps her? The same way he did the others?” Linda sobbed and nodded. Jules looked into the mirror that was actually one way glass with a horrified expression. Jules had one more question, and tried to soothe Linda who was now close to hysterics. “Ok Linda, ok...that’s good, you’re doing good. Do you know where they are?” Linda shook her head no. “No...I always meet Caleb at a campground in Big Sur every Friday, to drop off supplies.” Jules nodded. “Give me the name of the campground.” Linda hesitated and Jules the ballbuster was back. “Give me the name of the campground! Give me the name of the campground, and I mean right the fuck now!” Linda started sobbing again, and spilled out the name of the campground. Jules knew the clock was ticking; they had to find Lucy...and fast. They had to get to Lucy...because they all knew the only way she’d ever make a baby with Caleb is if he raped her to do it. Jules vowed that was not going to happen, not on her watch.

Jules stormed out of the interrogation room, and into the room next door. “We need to get a plan set up...now. Tomorrow is Friday. If Linda isn’t there to meet Caleb, he’ll know something’s wrong and he’ll bail, and we’ll lose our only lead so far on Officer Chen.” Adam nodded as Tim and Grayson glanced at each other. Jules’ mind was racing. “We need a SWAT team...we need every fucking entrance and every fucking road in and out of that place covered. The campground is not in our jurisdiction, so maybe we can get California Highway Patrol to help.” Tim nodded as Grayson looked at Jules...real fear swimming in his eyes. Jules gently touched his arm. “We’ll get her back, Gray. We will, I promise.” Grayson nodded...and closed his eyes. He, and everyone else, were going to do whatever the fuck they had to do to get Lucy back, before it was too late. Grayson opened his eyes suddenly and looked at Tim. “That’s why you called your cousin Jase isn’t it? In case we can’t get her back.” Tim nodded. “Jase isn’t a cop...he’s a SEAL. He doesn’t have to go through all the bullshit red tape we have to go through. He can bend the law further than any of us without breaking it...and he’s got enough friends in very high places to get out of basically any trouble he may find himself in.” Grayson slightly smiled at that. Having a Navy SEAL up their sleeve certainly wouldn’t hurt things. He just hoped Lucy could hang on long enough for them to find her.


	7. Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team gets a possible lead on Lucy, and a rescue plan is put into place. Sgt. Grey breaks the news to his officers that Lucy has been kidnapped again by Caleb, leaving his officers dumbfounded. Jase arrives, and immediately joins in the action. Lucy attacks Caleb and attempts an escape.

Tim stormed out of the interrogation room and down the hall. He was furious, he was frantic, and he was sick with worry. His poor Boot...and now to top it all off, they were on a clock. If they didn’t find her fast, Caleb was going to rape her and probably kill her. Tim ran through the station, the only thing he could think of was getting to that campground. Tim started running towards the entrance when he saw Jase walking through it...and that’s when Tim broke.

Tim stopped running when he saw Jase, and put his hands on his hips. He bowed his head, and looked down at the floor...and the tears started to flow and he just couldn’t stop them. Grayson came up behind him and reached out for Tim, who jerked away from him. Jase strolled up to Tim and grabbed him in his arms. “We’ll find her bro...we’ll find her. Let’s go get a cup of coffee...oh wait, no, forget that, the coffee here freaking sucks. Let’s go get a coke.” Jase all but dragged Tim into the break room with Grayson trailing them. Jase broke into a wide smile as he saw Harper and Nolan in the break room. Nyla glanced up and flew to him. She hugged him tightly...before she eased back and looked at a totally wrecked Tim Bradford. She looked at Jase who simply nodded, and took Tim to a couch. Nyla sat beside him and grabbed his hand. “We’ll find her Bradford. We won’t stop until we do. And you know Chen...hell, you trained her. You know she’s going to fight as long and as hard as it takes to hang on until we get her. She did it once...she’ll do it again. You know she will. She’s a fighter.” Tim nodded...he did know that. And he knew it was going to take everything Lucy had to survive this time. Caleb lost once...and he wasn’t going to lose again. 

Sgt. Grey came into the break room scowling. Tim looked up at him, as he sipped his coke that Jase had all but shoved into his hands. “Sergeant?” Sgt. Grey sighed. “I’m sorry Tim. I just talked to Monica. She checked with all of her informants...no one knows a thing about Officer Chen’s disappearance.” Tim sighed...well, at least they had something, thanks to Jules. “Well, we do. Jules got that woman to break and got a location of where Caleb meets his contact to get supplies for wherever he’s holding Lucy. We get to that campground, and he’ll lead us straight to Lucy.” Sgt. Grey nodded. “Then let’s make sure we get to that campground in time. If Caleb gets there and his contact doesn’t show, he’ll know something’s up.” Tim nodded at Sgt. Grey glanced around at Jase, Tim, Grayson, Nyla, and John. Jackson and Angela had just walked into the station after dealing with a jumper...it had taken them hours to talk the distraught man down. They were headed for the break room but saw everyone else heading to the roll call room...they glanced at each other, wondering what was up. 

It was nearing the end of shift, and Sgt. Grey knew he needed to address his officers. He strolled into the roll call room, waiting for his officers to enter for the debrief. He sighed as he looked around the room at the tired faces, knowing everyone wanted to go home. “Ok people, listen up. We have a situation.” They all looked around the room...just as Tim, Grayson and Jase strolled in. Sgt. Grey glanced at them before continuing. “Officer Chen has been kidnapped. And we know who took her. As hard as it is to believe, Caleb Wright is very much alive, and he’s holding Officer Chen.” Sgt. Grey looked around the room as his officers gasped in disbelief. Jackson closed his eyes, willing back the tears. He couldn’t believe this was happening again. Angela spoke up first. “Sarge...are you sure about this? We’ve confirmed that he’s alive? Because we all thought he was dead.” Sgt. Grey nodded. “Yes, Officer Lopez, we’ve confirmed it. He is in fact alive. Now, we’re putting together a plan to catch him. We still have a city to protect and patrol, so not all of you will be in on this operation.” He was met with scowls, and groans. He frowned until everyone was quiet again. “The priority here is Officer Chen. We get her back, safely, and alive. Failure is not an option here people. We launch our rescue operation tomorrow morning. Officer Nolan, Officer Bradford, Officer Wells, you three will be in on that rescue operation, as will one of our SWAT teams. The rest of you will be on your regular patrols. We don’t know what playbook this bastard is following...it’s possible he might even try to come back to L.A. with Officer Chen. We need people here, on the streets, in case that happens. Are we clear?” Everyone in the roll call room nodded. Sgt. Grey looked around the room. “We get Officer Chen back tomorrow morning. No other outcome is acceptable. Watch your back...we all know what Caleb Wright is capable of. Dismissed.” Everyone stood up and looked at each other...and prayed that Lucy could hold on for one more night. 

Caleb was standing on the deck of the tiny beach house he and Lucy were in. He stared off into the distance, watching the sky paint the Pacific pink. Every time he touched Lucy, she cringed in fear. She looked at him with disgust. He hadn’t raped her...yet. But it was getting to that point. He wanted her, badly. But for the first time in his life, he realized he didn’t want the woman he was brutalizing to cower in fear. He wanted to know what it felt like to be wanted by a woman...he’d never had that before. And he was trying to have that with Lucy. But she’d been very uncooperative, and he’d just about reached the end of his rope. He sighed as he watched the Pacific slowly turn from deep blue to a stunning pink. He decided he’d give Lucy one more day to get her act together. And then he’d just have to make it happen, whether she was willing or not. He wanted a son so badly he could taste it. He needed to leave his mark on this world, to leave it a legacy. And he couldn’t think of a better legacy to leave the world than his son. 

He went back inside and looked at Lucy, who was tied to a chair in the small living room. “It’s a pretty sunset out tonight...would you like to watch it?” Lucy nodded. If he took her outside then she had a chance, however slim, of getting away. She had to play this just right. Caleb walked to her and she looked at him, pretending to be upset and hurt. Caleb frowned at her. “Lucy? Angel? What’s wrong?” Lucy sighed. “Caleb, you’ve had me tied up the entire time I’ve been here, and my body is cramping really badly. You’ll be right there on the porch with me, won’t you? Please untie me...just for a little bit while we watch the sunset. You can tie me back up when we come back inside.” Caleb sighed as he looked at Lucy, trying to decide. He really wanted to trust her, and he knew the more freedom he gave her, the more cooperative and responsive to him she’d probably become. But he also knew it was a risk...if she bolted she stood a chance of getting away from him. He decided it was worth the risk. He nodded. “Ok...but you have to behave Angel. Please...for me.” Lucy nodded. She watched as he untied her wrists and ankles and helped her stand. Her arms and legs were screaming and on fire from being tied so tightly together for so long. But at least she was free. Caleb kept a firm grasp on her as he led her outside onto the tiny deck. Lucy was relieved to see it wasn’t a far drop into the sand below. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, loving the salty smell of the ocean, and feeling the wind blow across her face...it reminded her she was still alive, and she felt the fight to live roaring through her veins. 

She opened her eyes and watched the Pacific for a few minutes. Then she turned at the sound of Caleb’s voice...and knew this was it. “Lucy…” Caleb leaned in to try and kiss her...and Lucy clocked him for all she was worth. She slammed her fist into his nose, and kneed him as hard as she could in the balls. She kicked him in the ribs several times as he fell to the ground, and landed another kick right to his face. He seemed to lose consciousness. And then Lucy ran and jumped for it. She vaulted off the deck, landing in the soft sand below. She landed on all fours, the landing jarring her body, but she ignored it. Her instincts were screaming at her. Go, go, go, go, go! Lucy jumped to her feet and raced down the beach as she heard a roar behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw a bloody Caleb running like the wind headed straight for her. As she was running Lucy glanced around and realized with a sinking heart that just like before, there was nothing around...except unlike last time, when it had been miles and miles of desert, now it was nothing but miles of desolate beach and the Pacific. Lucy ran for all she was worth, kicking up the sand as her feet pounded the beach in a desperate flee from her predator. Lucy ran and ran and ran. She saw in the distance slightly to the right what she thought was a small house. But before she could figure out for sure what it was, she felt herself being tackled to the ground. Her head slammed onto a piece of driftwood, and she couldn’t fight the blackness that was closing in. The last thing she saw before she passed out was the beautiful pink and red sky...and the menacing face of her monster.


	8. Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rescue operation for Lucy is launched. The police chase winds up being picked up by the news, and the roll call room is transfixed as they watch the rescue playing out on live television. Someone lives...and someone dies.

Lucy woke up the next morning, tied to the bed, with a massive headache. She pulled at her restraints in frustration, and cried. She’d been so close...damnit! She sobbed and jerked hard at the ropes until she cried out in pain. Caleb stormed in, and Lucy saw the damage she had done to him, and felt a surge of pride. His face was a mess. And he was walking gingerly, like he was in pain. He frowned deeply at her. “I thought you were different Lucy...I thought we could have something real. But you’re just like all the rest of them.” Lucy narrowed her eyes at him. The rest of them? The rest of whom? Caleb climbed on top of her and Lucy began to scream. “Shut up! I’ll knock you out if you don’t shut the fuck up!” Lucy stopped screaming, and shrank away, into the mattress. “Jesus Christ, Lucy, what the hell do you think I am? I’m not going to rape you. Been there, done that. I know what it’s like to have a woman that doesn’t want me. I’m sick of that shit. I want to know what it’s like to be wanted. So, we won’t be doing any of that stuff until you do want me.” Lucy stared in horror at him and realized how sick he truly was. There was no way she would ever be able to reason or negotiate with him. The only way she would be free of him is if she escaped or was rescued. She heard Tim’s voice in her mind as Caleb began to untie her. “Never surrender, Boot. You get knocked down, you get right back up. You never, ever surrender. You fight until your last breath, and then you fight some more. You go get him, Boot!” Lucy felt the adrenaline begin to surge through her veins...but this time Caleb was watching her like a hawk and Lucy knew she’d been found out. “No...we’re not doing that today. What we are doing is going for a ride.” Lucy frowned at him...a ride? As if reading her thoughts, Caleb looked at her. “We’re going to get some supplies.” Lucy’s mind was racing. Caleb was taking her out of the house...and that meant she had another chance to escape. She began to plan as he carried her to his truck. 

The teams were in place at the campground. Sgt. Grey obviously couldn’t spare every officer he had to cover the campground, so, he had done what he could. Some of his Adam shift officers were there, a SWAT team was there, and the California Highway Patrol was there. They were all closely monitoring the campground, but so far there was no sign of Lucy or Caleb.

Officer Ruthie Grace, who was new to the Adam shift, and had just finished her training as a rookie, had graduated the academy with Grayson. She was in the roll call room, doing some paperwork, when she glanced at the T.V. Someone had left it on, and she frowned at it listening to the reporter, who was coming on air with a live report. “We don’t know what’s going on here at the Riverside Campground, but there is a heavy police presence at this time. Police aren’t saying why they’re here or who they might be looking for. We’ll keep you updated…” Ruthie dropped her pen and went running out of the roll call room. “Sgt. Grey! Sgt. Grey!” Sgt Grey was in his office when he heard his name being yelled...what the hell? He jumped out of his office chair and bolted out the door. He saw one of his youngest officers, Officer Ruthie Grace, headed straight for him. Sgt. Grey caught her as she crashed into him. “Officer Grace...what’s the problem?” Ruthie grabbed him, dragging him to the roll call room. “Sarge, you need to see this...hurry!” Sgt. Grey ran to the roll call room and looked at the tv just in time to hear the words “heavy police presence at Riverside Campground.” The reporter was recapping his report. Sgt. Grey swore in fury. “Damnit...how the hell did the media find out about this?” He whipped out his cell phone and called Tim. 

Tim was with Jase, Grayson, and Nolan...they weren’t at the campground, but they were close by; they were on one of the roads leading to it, hoping to get lucky and catch Caleb and Lucy approaching the campground. Nolan and Tim were in a patrol car...Jase and Grayson were in Tim’s truck. They were parked next to each other, on the side of the road. Tim was on his phone, talking to Sgt. Grey, and swore as he threw his phone down to the floorboard. “Goddamnit!” Nolan glanced at Tim. “What is it?” Tim glared at him. “The fucking media found out about this, and they’re here. It’s all over the damn tv that a heavy police presence is currently at the campground. Might as well have taken out a damn billboard to announce our presence. There’s no way Caleb will show now. This was our last shot at saving Lucy!” But finally, finally, Lady Luck was on their side. Caleb and Lucy had left the beach house before the news had been leaked. Caleb and Lucy were currently speeding down the road to the campground, unaware of what was waiting for them...and Lady Luck had made sure they were on the same road as Tim, John, Jase, and Grayson.

Tim grabbed his cell phone and called Jase and let him know what was going on. Jase swore. “Well, that fucking sucks, bro. But don’t worry, we got this...maybe Wright didn’t see the report.” Jase was about to say something else when Tim’s eyes went wide. He saw a truck slowly approaching...and he saw Lucy’s terrified face, with a gag over her mouth, in the front seat next to Caleb. Tim screamed into his phone. “That’s them! Go, go, go!” Nolan got on his radio. “Officer Chen and Caleb Wright have been spotted, on the road leading to the south entrance of the campground. They’re in a blue, two door, Chevy pick up truck, older model.” Jase stomped on the gas at the same time as Nolan did...and the chase was on.

Caleb glared out the window and couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. “I believe we’ve been in this situation before.” Caleb was fed up...his plan obviously having gone to total shit. He was so frustrated, and the monster that lived inside him came roaring out. He turned and glared at Lucy...right before he punched her hard enough to knock her out. Then he slammed on the breaks of the truck, did a u-turn, and took off in the direction from which he and Lucy had just come

Grayson was yelling at Jase. “Do not fucking lose them...we lose them and she’s dead! Go faster!” Jase wasn’t used to being given commands, but he tuned it out...he had a serial rapist and killer to catch. Nolan was driving with the lights and sirens, and he sped up and passed Jase, taking the lead. Tim glanced over his shoulder, and saw a dozen California Highway Patrol vehicles all behind them, speeding up, with their lights and sirens on. It was a full on police chase. And it didn’t take long for the news to pick it up. 

The roll call room had become crowded. Everyone who was in the Mid Wilshire Police Station were listening to their radios and heard Nolan announce that Caleb and Lucy had been spotted. Then someone had said that the police chase had been picked up by the news, and everyone in the station had booked it into the roll call room to watch the chase. Everyone was watching the tv...and praying for a miracle. Monica, Julianna, and Adam came running into the roll call room. Julianna gasped. “Oh, God. Which officer is that...the one that’s driving just ahead of Bradford’s truck?” Sgt. Grey glanced at her. “It’s Nolan.” Sgt. Grey prayed that today was the day that his oldest rookie showed them all how it’s done...and Nolan did just that.

Tim got his gun out. He looked at Nolan. “Get me right beside them...I mean right beside them, and hold it steady.” Nolan nodded, and floored it, desperately trying to catch up to the truck. Caleb glanced in his rearview mirror. “Damnit.” He stomped on the gas and started to pull away from Nolan...and then glanced to his right. A California Highway Patrol car was keeping pace with him on the right. Another pick up truck had snuck up behind him...and an LAPD patrol car, being driven by Nolan, was gaining on him, and had moved up to his left. Caleb swore, and desperately tried to outrun the officers chasing him. Lucy regained consciousness and opened her eyes as she bounced all over the seat. Caleb hadn’t realized she had regained consciousness as he was focusing on driving. She glanced out the driver’s side window and saw Tim...and his voice rang through her mind again. “You go get him, Boot!” Lucy knew this was it...she had to fight for her life and she had to do it now. She wasn’t going to get another shot at this; she had to take her shot now. 

The roll call room was exploding. Officers were on their feet, yelling at the television. “Drive Nolan, Drive!” “Don’t lose him, Jase...stay on him!” Julianna was cussing like a sailor. “Ram that bastard off the road, now! Don’t fucking let him get the fuck away!” Sgt. Grey and Monica remained silent and held their breath as they watched the police car chase play out before their eyes. No one could hear what the reporter was saying as the officers were on their feet in the roll call room, barking out orders, cheering on their comrades, as the race to save Lucy played out across television screens all over California. 

Tim rolled down the window and yelled at Nolan. “Get me right beside that fucker. I’m going to take a tire out.” Nolan yelled back. “They’ll crash!” Tim nodded. “I know, but we have no choice. If he gets away, Lucy’s dead!” Nolan stomped on the gas as Tim leaned out the window, aiming his weapon. “Closer, I need a closer target!” Nolan stomped on the gas...but hit the gas too hard and over shot it. Tim yelled at him. “C’mon, damnit! Focus Nolan! Lucy needs you!” Nolan regrouped and made another attempt...and this time he did it. He got in a perfect position that gave Tim the perfect angle to take the left front tire out. Tim aimed his gun and fired twice, hitting the front left tire of the truck Caleb was driving. Just as Tim shot the tire out, Lucy slammed her feet with all her might into Caleb’s head. She did it again and again and again. The truck lost control and swerved around in circles before running off the highway, crashing hard into a tree. Nolan pulled over to the side of the highway and slammed on his breaks, as Tim jumped out of the car and went racing towards the smoking truck. Jase also slammed on his breaks as he and Grayson jumped out of the truck, running after Tim. Nolan was on his radio requesting Fire and EMS be immediately dispatched to their location. 

Lucy was thrown to the floorboard...dazed. But, she heard Tim’s voice in her mind again...and he was barking at her. “Get up, Boot! Fight!” Lucy shoved herself back onto the seat as a dazed Caleb lifted his head. He smiled menacingly at Lucy, blood pouring down his face and out of his mouth, making his teeth red. He weakly pulled out a gun...and Lucy knew this was it. It was now or never. She slammed her feet into the side of his head one last time, hard enough to snap his neck and break it and send his head crashing through the driver’s side window. She sagged with relief against the seat...but her relief didn’t last long. She pulled herself up into a sitting position and saw smoke coming from the hood. She had to get out of the truck..now. Lucy turned herself around and kicked and kicked at the passenger’s side window, as the door was now jammed shut from the crash.. She kicked with all the strength she had...and it finally gave. She kicked it out and just as she started to climb out, Tim’s strong arms reached in through the hole where the window had been, and pulled her out. He threw her over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry and managed to get several yards from the truck before it exploded. 

The roll call room was left in a stunned silence...the explosion had immediately quieted down the room. From the camera angles, they hadn’t been able to see if anyone had made it out of the truck, they just knew it had exploded and that Lucy had been in that truck. Nyla gasped as Angela covered her mouth. “Oh, God, no! Chen!” Just then Sgt. Grey heard Nolan’s voice over his radio. “We’ve got her! We’ve got her!” Jackson, who was sitting next to Angela, couldn’t hold back his tears, and Angela grabbed him. “They've got her, West...hold onto that. We’ll know more in a few minutes, ok?” Jackson nodded as the tears poured down his face.

Tim had thrown himself on top of Lucy when the explosion hit. He eased himself off of her and yanked the gag off. “Lucy! Lucy...talk to me baby, please.” Lucy moaned and shoved him off. “Move...move! Let me the fuck up!” Tim moved aside and looked at her. She cried as she looked at him. “I have to see...please.” He nodded, understanding. He whipped a small pocketknife out of his back pocket and cut through the ropes that bound her ankles and wrists. Lucy climbed unsteadily to her feet and ran back to the truck, which was now fully engulfed. Nolan, Grayson, Jase and Tim ran over to her. Nolan looked at Tim. “Fire and EMS are on the way.” Tim nodded. They all watched Lucy. She stared at the truck, as if in a trance. “Let him burn. Don’t let them put this fire out...let it burn out by itself.” Lucy watched through her bloodshot, swollen eyes with a painful expression on her tearstained, bruised, and dirty face as the monster who had haunted her dreams burned and was slowly incinerated. She closed her eyes...finally. She had gone up against her monster again..and won. She suddenly cried, and turned, burying her face in Tim’s chest. His arms clamped around her, and held her as she wept. He closed his eyes, and sent up a silent prayer of thanks that the love of his life had conquered her monster, once and for all, and would live to fight another day.

The camera came back to the reporter who updated his report. “We were just told by California Highway Patrol that this was a rescue operation involving a missing LAPD Police Officer, Officer Lucy Chen. Officer Chen has been successfully rescued, and is alive, and will be treated for minor injuries.” 

The roll call room exploded again, in cheers, and applause, and cries of joy. Jackson jumped to his feet, pumping his fists in the air. “Yeah! Yeah! Go Chen!” Nyla, and Angela hugged. Monica pulled Sgt. Grey into her arms as he cried. Adam sighed in immense relief and closed his eyes..leaning against the wall for support. Jules threw her hands over her head. “Oh My God...they did it!” The cameras cut back to the truck and Jules smiled wickedly. “Burn in hell you bastard.” 

Lucy pulled out of Tim’s arms and went to Grayson, who was standing by himself. He felt so responsible for what happened. Lucy walked to him and opened her arms. She pulled him in and they both cried, thankful for the fact that Lucy was still alive. Tim glanced at them, and walked over. “Wells.” Grayson let go of Lucy and looked at Tim. Tim pulled him into a hard hug. “This wasn’t your fault. In fact, if you hadn’t alerted me so soon to the fact that Lucy was missing, we probably would have lost her. You helped save her. Remember that.” Grayson just nodded, trying to get a handle on his emotions. Jase walked up to Lucy and tapped her on the shoulder. “Fancy meting you here, gorgeous.” Lucy couldn’t help but grin...Jase always seemed to be able to make her laugh in any given situation. “Hi handsome. I come here all the time.” He grabbed her in a fierce hug. “Way to kick that bastard’s ass, babe. You could show Nyla a thing or two...but don’t tell her I said that.” Lucy laughed and nodded, and saw Nolan walking up to her. She left Jase and pulled Nolan into a hard hug. “That was some dynamite driving, Nolan. Thank you.” He hugged her hard and just nodded his head, when he heard Tim’s voice. “Yeah, Nolan, that was some pretty amazing driving. That’s how you’re supposed to drive, on shift. From now on, that’s how you drive!” Nolan smiled as Lucy pulled out of his arms. The firetrucks had arrived and were starting to put out the truck fire. Lucy walked over to the burning truck, and saw what was left of Caleb’s body...charred to a crisp. “Welcome to hell, Caleb. Hope you enjoy your stay.” She stared at the monster who had haunted her dreams, and had almost taken her life, twice...and realized he was a monster no more; now he was just ash. And he could never, ever hurt her, or anyone else, again. Officer Lucy Chen had lived...and had once and for all taken down Serial Rapist and Killer Caleb Wright, permanently.


	9. Endgame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team celebrates Lucy's rescue...and the moment they've all been waiting for finally happens.

It was almost midnight, and Lucy was pounding away at the heavy punching bag in the small gym at Mid Wilshire. She was punching it, kicking it, hitting it, anything she could do to get rid of the nervous energy. The punching bag currently looked like Caleb, at least in her mind, and she was reveling in the power she felt as she punched his face over and over and over and over. Her hands hurt like hell, honestly, her entire body hurt like hell. She was sweaty, and dirty, and still sporting one last souvenir from Caleb...a black eye and a busted lip. She had been checked out at the scene by paramedics, who said she probably didn’t need to go to the hospital. Lucy was ever so thankful for that, and had gone back to the one place that felt most like home, where she felt the safest...Mid Wilshire Police Station. And that’s where Tim found her...punching away at the punching bag, tuning everything else out but her body, and her energy. 

None of the others had gone home. They all wanted to wait until Lucy was ready to leave...in part to protect her; they were all feeling very protective of her right now, and in part because an informal pizza party had just happened. Everyone had celebrated the fact that Lucy had been found alive, Caleb Wright was currently burning in hell, and at last this chapter was coming to a close. And that’s how the next chapter of Tim and Lucy’s life together began...and it started where their first chapter together had begun...at Mid Wilshire Police Station.

Tim watched her, and saw his best laid plan he had ever come up with go to total shit. He had the hot air balloon ride paid for and planned, complete with champagne, he had the restaurant reservations made, and he had the rose petals he’d scatter all over his house. And all of that went right out the window, because that honestly just wasn’t Tim and Lucy. It was nice, and something he’d still do for her. But it wasn’t them...they weren’t fancy people, they weren’t perfect people. What they were was two of LAPD’s finest; they were fierce warriors, who would always be there for each other, no matter what the cost. They would always fight the good fight of good, vs. evil...they might not always win, but they always gave it their best shot. And they ALWAYS had each other’s backs...always.

Jase saw Tim standing in the doorway watching Lucy. He went up to Tim and smiled. “Bro...how much more encouragement do you freaking need? This is the second time you almost lost her. How many more chances do you think you’re going to get with her?” Tim looked at Jase and smiled...as Jase handed him the engagement ring he had made for Lucy. Tim scowled at him. “You just happened to have this on you?” Jase smiled back at his scowling cousin...and couldn’t contain his chuckle. “No. I might have gone by your house earlier and picked it up for you. Shall I continue?” Tim frowned at him and nodded. “Oh yeah.” Jase sighed. “You keep waiting for the perfect moment, or trying to create the perfect moment...there is no perfect moment. There’s only now. So get off your ass and freaking go for it, before I or Grayson do, because you know, we both have had the hots for Lucy at some point.” Tim rolled his eyes as Jase finished his lecture. “You’ve faced death with her, multiple times bro...time to start facing life with her too.” Tim took the ring from Jase and looked at it, before he shook his head and smiled at Jase. Oftentimes, Jase was the only one who could get through to Tim...besides Lucy of course. Jase smiled and clapped him on the back. He glanced at Lucy who was still punching away on the punching bag...she had no idea they were there. 

Tim walked into the small gym...as Jase glanced to his right and saw Nyla, Angela, Wesley (who was holding a sleeping baby Timothy), John, Grace, Jackson, Sterling, Grayson, Julianna, Monica, and Sgt. Grey walking towards the gym. He quickly waved them over and then held a finger to his lips to keep them quiet. “Shh...just watch.” They all peered into the gym, and broke out into wide grins. Angela brought her hand up to her mouth, already crying...it was way past time for Tim and Lucy to take this next step, and she was so happy for them. 

Tim pulled out his cell phone and pulled up his playlist. He scrolled to the song he wanted; it was an old 1980’s song by Cher and Peter Cetera… “After All.” Officer Tim Bradford was about to share a big secret with the class...he was a HUGE fan of 1980’s music..everything from rock and roll to love ballads. There were times when the shifts were slow that he’d break out into a song right there in the patrol car, much to Lucy’s amusement. He put his phone down on a bench, hit play and turned the volume all the way up. Lucy was about to throw a kick into the punching bag when she heard Peter Cetera’s magical voice combined with Cher’s smoky voice suddenly ringing through the small gym. She gasped and whirled as the song began to play…

‘Well here we are again, I guess it must be fate, we’ve tried it on our own, but deep inside we’ve known, we’d be back to set things straight…. I still remember when your kiss was so brand new. Every memory repeats, every step I take retreats, every journey always brings me back to you…. After all the stops and starts, we keep coming back to these two hearts, two angels who’ve been rescued from the fall, and after all that we’ve been through, it all comes down to me and you. I guess it’s meant to be, forever you and me after all...’

“Hey...Boot.” Tim walked towards her and stopped about halfway to her as Cher and Peter continued singing. He pulled out the engagement ring and tossed it to her...exactly as he had tossed the ring she had left for him as a clue when Caleb had taken her the first time. Lucy caught it, frowning at him in confusion...then she gasped as she looked at what he’d just thrown her. She put her hand over her mouth, as the tears came and looked back up at Tim, and tilted her head. She dropped her hand and smiled at him as she looked back at the ring. Tim walked up to her and took her hand...but he didn’t say anything. He just looked at her, and nodded his head towards her, raising his eyebrows...because Tim and Lucy didn’t need big fancy words, they were already so much a part of each other, they could finish each other’s thoughts and sentences. Lucy quickly nodded her head and jumped into his arms. Tim engulfed her in his embrace as they both closed their eyes in relief. Tim willed the tears away as Lucy was laughing and crying at the same time. He’d almost lost her, twice...he wasn’t going to risk a third potential loss, not without making her permanently his. They broke apart as Tim slid the ring on Lucy’s finger, and then he sealed it with a deep kiss. 

‘When love is truly right (this time it’s truly right) it lives from year to year, it changes as it goes, oh and on the way it grows, but it never disappears….after all the stops and starts, we keep coming back to these two hearts, two angels who’ve been rescued from the fall….and after all that we’ve been through, it all comes down to me and you, I guess it’s meant to be, forever you and me after all.’

Jase couldn’t hold back anymore and pumped his first in the air as he jumped. “YES!!” Everyone else burst out laughing, crying, clapping, and cheering. Lucy gasped in surprise...she’d had no idea they had an audience. Nyla, Angela, Monica, Grace, and Julianna ran up to her and hugged her. Grayson followed, and pulled Lucy into his arms and hugged her hard enough to lift her off the floor. She smiled and closed her eyes. As he put her down, Angela grabbed her hand to see the ring, and it was then Lucy really looked at it...and started sobbing. The sapphire she had found on Sapphire Mountain that she had told Tim to keep and do what he wanted to with it, was right there in the middle of her engagement ring, flanked by one purple sapphire on each side, and it all rested atop a platinum band. Tim smiled her as he realized she finally figured it out. “Tim...it’s so beautiful.” He kissed her forehead as Jase pipped up. “It damn well should be...I made it Lucy Lou.” Lucy gasped at him. “You made this?” Jase nodded and grinned as he tucked Nyla into his side. “Sure did Lucy Lou...like six months ago, maybe longer.” Lucy looked back sharply at Tim, who sheepishly grinned at her. She threw her arms around his neck again and cried. Tim laughed as he held her close...and that’s how their next chapter of their life together started. As soon as he let go of her again, Jackson and John swooped in, each giving her a bear hug. Jackson cried...so thankful that his best friend was ok and at long last getting her happy ending. 

Sgt. Grey grinned. “It’s late and I know everyone’s tired...but, drinks are on me. Be at my house in thirty minutes.” Everyone cheered at that, and they all left the gym,...except for Tim and Lucy. Lucy grinned at him. “You had this ring made for me six months ago?” Tim nodded. Lucy grinned and looked back down at the ring. Lucy couldn’t resist poking the bear...that was after all what had made Tim fall for her. “So, you thought a perfect marriage proposal would be throwing a ring at me, in the gym at Mid Wilshire, when we’re both tired, dirty, and I have a black eye and a busted lip...and not even really asking me, just giving me the Bradford glare?” Tim grinned at her as he wrapped her arms around her waist. He rested his brow against hers. “Maybe not perfect for other people...but, perfect for us. Mid Wilshire is where you came into my life, Boot. It’s also where you came into my heart...despite my best attempts at trying to stop you. Just seemed like the place for me to ask you to be mine forever.” Lucy quietly sighed...and smiled at him. She softened her voice. “Technically you still haven’t asked me.” Tim rolled his eyes in mock frustration.”Ok...Boot, you can either be mine, or, you can run the obstacle course at the academy in a bomb disposal suit. And I’m not getting down on one knee...my back is killing me and I think I twisted my knee when I dove on top of you during the explosion.” Lucy laughed. “Well...I guess that’s technically asking me...in a mildly threatening way.” Tim dropped a kiss on her mouth that quickly heated up. He pulled back just enough for their lips not to touch. His voice came out a whisper. “You still haven’t answered me.” Lucy smiled through her tears at him. Her breathy answer made Tim’s heart race. “Well, since you’re practically begging…” Tim frowned at her. “I’m absolutely not begging…” And Lucy interrupted him again. “Yes...I’ll be yours. Because I’ve always been yours, Bradford, since the day we met in the roll call room.” Lucy kissed him deeply, as their tongues collided, and they both moaned. Cher and Peter were wrapping up their song..

‘Always just beyond my touch, you know I needed you so much, after all what else is livin’ for? Whoa after all the stops and starts, we keep coming back to these two hearts, two angels who’ve been rescued from the fall….and after all that we’ve been through, it all comes down to me and you, I guess it’s meant to be forever you and me, after all.’

Tim left her and quickly went to the door to the gym, and looked down the hallway. Seeing no one, he slammed and locked the gym door, and hit the lights, plunging the room into darkness. He stalked back to her and took her right there on the mat by the punching bag. They threw their arms around each other and devoured each other, both of them realizing how close they had come to losing it all. It was close to an hour before Tim and Lucy finally made it to Sgt. Grey’s house.


	10. Moving On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Detective Julianna Mancinni helps Lucy find her closure and perspective on everything that happened to her because of Caleb, so she can finally get on with her life. Tim, Jase, John and Jackson help Grayson find his closure as well...he still feels so responsible for Lucy getting snatched by Caleb a second time. And Tim and Lucy return to where they took the step from friends and co workers to so much more.

Lucy glanced over at Detective Julianna Mancinni as they drove through the streets of Los Angeles. “I’m still not sure why you wanted me to come with you, detective.” Julianna smiled at her. “I wanted you to see what you helped do.” Lucy frowned at her, not exactly sure what she meant. They drove through residential neighborhoods, until Julianna pulled up in front of a small house. A woman was outside in the front yard weeding her flowerbed, as she saw them pull up. She stood up and smiled and waved as Julianna got out of the car; Lucy followed her, not sure what to expect. “Hey!” Julianna walked up to her. “Hey yourself, how are you feeling today?” The woman smiled at her. “Good, I’m feeling good, it’s a good day today!” Julianna smiled at her. “I’m glad. Cheryl Harris, this is Officer Lucy Chen.” Lucy smiled at the woman and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Harris.” Cheryl waved her hand and smiled at her. “Call me Cheryl. Let’s all go on the porch and have some lemonade. What a nice surprise this is!” 

Julianna and Lucy followed Cheryl up into the porch...Lucy not quite sure what to expect. Julianna and Lucy sat down on the wicker couch as Cheryl poured them all some lemonade. “So...Julianna, how are things?” She handed them glasses of lemonade as she sipped hers. Cheryl then sat down in a wicker chair, next to Julianna. Julianna took Cheryl’s hand. “Well...I have some news. I wanted to come out here instead of calling.” Cheryl smiled at her and put her glass of lemonade on the small wicker table. “What’s the news?” Cheryl looked at Lucy and Julianna with a smile on her face. Julianna gripped her hand hard as she looked at the woman who had become one of her closest friends. “Cheryl...we got him.” Cheryl gasped. “You got him? You got the guy who killed my baby?” Cheryl’s youngest child and only daughter, Jessica Harris, had been Caleb’s first victim. It was then that Cheryl really looked at Lucy, and gasped. “Oh...oh my...Officer Chen you look just like my Jessie.” Julianna nodded and smiled at her. “That’s why I brought Officer Chen with me...she’s the one that got him. He’s dead, and won’t be able to hurt anyone else ever again.” Cheryl gasped, and rushed to Lucy, and grabbed her in a fierce hug. Cheryl began sobbing as she wrapped her arms around Lucy...who hugged her back just as fiercely. “Thank you...Oh Officer Chen, Thank you so much! My baby can rest in peace now...and it’s because of you.” Lucy hugged Cheryl as she looked at Julianna, all three of them with tears streaming down their faces. Then Cheryl hugged Julianna, and sobbed. And finally, Lucy found the peace she had desperately been searching for since the first time Caleb had taken her. She hadn’t just saved herself, and brought justice for herself...she had brought justice for all of his other victims too. 

While Julianna was helping Lucy find her peace with the situation, Tim, Jase, John, and Jackson had made it their mission to help Grayson find his. He was still feeling incredibly guilty for what had happened to Lucy. He was seriously thinking about turning in his badge, and leaving L.A. This case had definitely thrown Grayson for a loop...and he thought that it was his inexperience that had almost cost Lucy her life. He would miss Jules, but hell, they’d barely started dating. She’d find someone better for her, he was sure of it. He frowned as he heard pounding on his front door. He was in no mood for company. He went to his front door and opened it...and Tim waltzed in like he owned the place; followed by Jase, John, and Jackson. Tim was carrying a case of beer, and Jase was carrying three pizza boxes. Grayson sighed as he closed the door. “Look...guys I appreciate the gesture, but it’s not necessary.” Tim turned to look at Grayson...with his head tilted to the side. “It’s not?” Grayson shook his head. “No sir. I’ll have my letter of resignation ready first thing in the morning.” Tim glared at him...and Grayson looked at the floor. He knew Bradford blamed him, and honestly, he deserved it. Tim shook his head and went into the kitchen, carrying the beer. Jase followed with the pizzas and set them on the kitchen counter. 

Tim cracked open some beer bottles, and passed them out. Then he grabbed another two...one for himself and one for Grayson. He stalked back to Grayson and all but shoved the beer bottle in his hand. He clinked the bottles together. “Well, I guess here’s to being a quitter...though I’d never have pegged you for one of those.” Grayson had just taken a sip of beer, and froze with the bottle in mid air. “Excuse me?” Tim rolled his eyes. “Were you even going to say goodbye to Lucy? Or were you just going to quit on her too?” Grayson glanced away, clearly upset. He looked back at Tim, Jase, John, and Jackson who were all frowning at him. “I know I fucked up. Bradford, I figured you of all people would want me gone.” Tim took a pull from his beer before setting it down on the small coffee table. “Well, you figured wrong, Wells. Take it from someone who’s been there and done that and learned the lesson the hardest way possible. This isn’t your fault. What happened to Lucy isn’t your fault. The people responsible for this fucked up situation are either in prison or burning in hell.” Grayson narrowed his eyes at Tim, as John spoke up. “Wells...you did everything right here. Honestly, none of us would have done it any differently. In fact, I can’t speak for the others, but I don’t think I would have woken up the next morning and immediately suspected something was wrong. I mean after all, Lucy is a very capable cop. If I had been in your shoes, I probably wouldn’t have suspected something was wrong or even thought to let Bradford in on what was going on until the next afternoon. You were over at his place first thing in the morning.” Jackson nodded in agreement. “Nolan’s right. I’ve gone out with Lucy plenty of times before, and gotten plastered with her. While I always made sure she got to her car ok, or got home ok, I never thought to worry about what happens next. We just kind of assume if you’re out partying, and you get to your car ok, or you get home ok, everything’s fine. You had no way of knowing Caleb was waiting for her. And you weren’t here the first time he took her...you didn’t know what you’d be up against.” Jase sighed as he looked at Grayson. “Dude...you know how Lucy is. She’s just as hardheaded and stubborn as my cousin here is. It doesn’t surprise me at all that she didn’t tell you what had been going on with her up to that point, and I’m betting if she had, you’d have been a bit more careful. So cut yourself some slack...no one blames you for any of this, not even your boss. So you don’t need to blame yourself either. Find a way to put the guilt down, or at least a better way to carry it, before it fucks up your life here.” 

Grayson looked around at his fellow cops, and Jase. He didn’t see judgment, or anger or blame in their eyes. All he was was patience, understanding, and camaraderie. He nodded, as they grinned at him, and they all held up their beer bottles, clinking them together. Jase sighed. “Now that that’s done, can we freaking eat? I’m starving.” Tim rolled his eyes, as he looked at Grayson. “He’s always starving...c’mon, we got meat lovers, veggies lovers, some kind of girly mediterranean pie for Jase…” They all went into the kitchen, and Tim was relieved that he (and the others) had managed to talk Grayson into not quitting. Grayson was a good cop...and would be a hell of a cop very soon. 

A week later, Lucy was standing on the large, wide, covered front porch of her house in Bowen, Louisiana, on the Atchafalaya River. Twilight had settled, and the twinkling stars and the shimmering moon turned the water silvery and sparkly, as the current made the river look like there were diamonds in the water. A warm breeze was coming in off the water, blowing Lucy’s hair away from her shoulders and face. She closed her eyes enjoying the peace, and the air and the smells of river water and magnolia blossoms, as the crickets sang their nightly symphony.

After Lucy had been rescued, and especially after Tim and Lucy’s engagement had become known, neither one of them had had a moment’s peace. Their phones exploded with people wanting to know about the wedding, and honeymoon, reporters kept calling wanting to interview her, it had turned into a circus. Lucy was at her breaking point, so one evening after work, Tim had surprised her by driving her to LAX, instead of his house, where he informed them they were taking their week off together, and getting “the fuck out of town,” as he had put it. He had wanted Lucy to have time to rest and recover from her ordeal, and the best place to do that was as far away as possible from their well meaning friends, family, coworkers, and vulture reporters...and that had taken them to Bowen, LA. 

Lucy’s mind was racing. Her thoughts drifted to Caleb, and she briefly wondered what the hell had happened to him to make him become what he was, or if he’d simply been born that way. She knew she’d never know the answer to that, so, she let it go. Lucy stood proud and tall, as the breeze from the river swept over her face. She felt like the weight of the world had finally been lifted off her shoulders, and now she could finally get on with her life; and she wanted that life to be with Tim. She felt like she had been carrying this dead weight with her for so long, and day by day, it weighed her down more and more. Now, she felt light as a feather, and actually looked forward to what her life could bring now. Then her thoughts drifted to Tim, and she couldn’t help but smile. She opened her eyes and looked down at her stunning engagement ring. She shook her head in wonder at life and it’s mysterious ways. When she had first met Officer Tim Bradford, he had scared the shit out of her, and intimidated her, and pissed her off...24/7. But at the same time, she remembered feeling a little tug in her mind when she had first laid eyes on him...it was like her mind had screamed at her ‘Oh...there you are, finally!’ Like she’d found the person she’d been looking her for her whole life...and that had scared her even more. Tim had gone from her T.O., to her colleague, to her close friend, to her best friend, to the man she’d marry. But he’d always been her soulmate, even if it took both of them some time to realize it. She laughed to herself as she looked back out over the water. 

She smiled as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist. She smiled even more when she felt her neck being nibbled and kissed. Tim took a deep breath, inhaling Lucy’s scent, combined with the smells of Louisiana. He loved all of it. His voice was soft as he looked out over the water and spoke in her ear. “What are you doing out here, Boot? It’s almost midnight. I thought you’d be exhausted.” Tim had a smug smile on his face...he had made sure he had worn Lucy out earlier, in every way possible. Lucy smiled as she laid her arms over his. “I was just thinking...this is where it all started.” Tim turned her around and frowned at her. “Where all what started?” Lucy smiled at him. “This is where you first kissed me...where we went from being friends to being a whole lot more. This is where we fell in love.” Tim cradled her face in his hands as he shook his head. “No, it’s not.” Lucy raised her eyebrows at him in surprise. “It’s not?” Tim stepped closer to her, and kissed her forehead. “Nope. When I followed you out here Boot, to make sure you hadn’t gotten in over your head, I was already in love with you...even if I hadn’t admitted it yet.” Lucy smiled even wider. “You were?” Tim just laughed. “Yeah...you think I go across the damn country for all my rookies to make sure they’re safe?” Lucy smiled as he bent his head and kissed her deeply. She eased back and looked at him...and figured it was worth the risk. “Tim...I want us to try, again.” Tim frowned at her. “Try what again?” Lucy looked down, gathering her courage, before looking back up at him. “I want us to try and have another baby.” 

Tim sighed. He knew that had been floating around in her mind; he had to be honest with her. “Luce...I need to say something.” Lucy nodded her head, her expression faltering. Tim walked to the railing and looked out at the water. “When I was married to Isabel, I never wanted kids. She did though...and I thought maybe it would help our marriage. We were already having problems by that point.” Lucy nodded and waited as Tim continued. “I was always so thankful that it never happened for us. Because Isabel was the job. I knew she would never be able to devote herself to our kids the way she devoted herself to the job...she certainly never devoted herself to our marriage as much. And I didn’t think it would be fair to any kids we might have to have a mom who was only involved when she didn’t have anything better to do.” Lucy nodded again...she got that. Then Tim turned to her and took her face in his hands. “I never wanted kids Lucy, not even with Isabel. But with you...I absolutely want them. I can’t tell you how sad I was when I found out we had lost the baby...and that was a huge shock to me. But then I realized the reason I was so sad is because part of that baby was part of you. And I can’t stand the thought of losing you.” Lucy smiled as tears brimmed in her eyes. “So...you’re saying….?” Tim grinned. “I’m saying can we wait a year after we’ve been married and then try? Because I’d like some time to enjoy just us, doing all the married couple things, before we bring little ones into the mix.” Lucy nodded, laughing through her tears as she threw her arms around Tim’s neck. Tim hugged her hard, as he felt Lucy happy crying in his arms. He eased back enough to see her eyes. His voice was rough as raspy and full of emotion. “But...we can start practicing now if you want…” Lucy grabbed his face in her hands, as their lips crashed into each other. Tim backed her to the wicker couch on the porch, and shed his clothes as he tore away her light bathrobe. He took her right there on the porch that overlooked the Atchalafaya River...in the same place where they had shared their first kiss. 

THE END


End file.
